NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY ON DRUG ABUSE: cigarettes table 9

1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse

Cigarettes (Table 9.4)

One-fifth of the total population aged 12 or older (20%) reported at least one problem in the past year associated with smoking cigarettes, 15% had two or more problems, and 11% had three or more problems. Among past year cigarette smokers, 60%, or an estimated 43 million smokers, had at least one problem, 46% (32 million) had two or more problems, and 33% (23 million) had three or more problems with cigarettes. Among heavy smokers (defined as currently smoking about a pack or more a day), more than three out of four reported one problem (77%), 62% reported two or more problems, and 46% reported three or more problems.

The most frequently cited problem among heavy smokers was wanting or trying to stop or cut down but not being able to do so (58%), followed by spending a great deal of time getting or using cigarettes or getting over the effects of cigarettes (55%), and smoking more cigarettes or smoking for longer periods than intended (49%). Among youths aged 12 to 17 who were heavy smokers, however, nearly 80% reported tolerance to the effects of cigarettes. In comparison for heavy smokers in other age groups, about 60% of young adults aged 18 to 25, fewer than half of adults aged 26 to 34, and only about one-third of adults aged 35 or older reported tolerance to the effects of cigarettes.

This page was last updated on June 16, 2008.

SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.

* Adobe™ PDF and MS Office™ formatted files require software viewer programs to properly read them. Click here to download these FREE programs now