Decreases in exclusive cigarette smoking and increases in exclusive electronic cigarette use were seen among U.S. adults from 2017 to 2023, according to research published in the March 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

René A. Arrazola, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues describe trends in the use of commercial tobacco products, including combustible tobacco products, smokeless tobacco products, and e-cigarettes (e-cigarettes meet the federal definition of tobacco products) among adults during a seven-year period. The analysis included adult participants (annual range, 21,153 to 31,997) in the National Health Interview Survey (2017 to 2023).

The researchers noted significant declines in current exclusive cigarette smoking prevalence (10.8 to 7.9 percent), along with increases in exclusive e-cigarette use prevalence (1.2 to 4.1 percent). Decreases in prevalence rates of exclusive cigarette and pipe smoking (6.5 to 1.2 percent and 1.0 to 0.1 percent, respectively) were seen among adults aged 18 to 24 years, as were increases in exclusive e-cigarette use prevalence (2.7 to 10.3 percent). A similar trend was seen among adults aged 25 to 44 years (exclusive cigarette smoking prevalence: 12.0 to 7.6 percent; exclusive e-cigarette use prevalence: 1.5 to 6.1 percent).

"The decrease in number of adults who currently exclusively smoke cigarettes by approximately 6.8 million persons was offset by the increase in the number who currently use e-cigarettes exclusively (approximately 7.2 million)," the authors write.