Study finds that despite wanting to quit, only 8.8 percent quit smoking in 2022

Although about two-thirds of U.S. adults who smoked wanted to quit, only 8.8 percent of smokers quit in 2022, according to research published in the July 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Brenna VanFrank, M.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues used 2022 National Health Interview Survey data to examine national estimates of cigarette smoking cessation indicators among U.S. adults

The researchers found that 67.7 percent of the 28.8 million U.S. adults who smoked wanted to quit in 2022; 53.3 percent made a quit attempt, but only 8.8 percent quit smoking. Of the adults who smoked and saw a health professional during the past year, 50.5 and 49.2 percent received health professional advice or assistance to quit smoking, respectively.

Overall, 38.3 percent of those who tried to quit used treatment (counseling or medication). The prevalence of quitting interest was higher for adults who usually smoked menthol versus non-menthol cigarettes (72.2 versus 65.4 percent), as was the prevalence of past-year quit attempts (57.3 versus 50.4 percent); however, these smokers had lower prevalences of receiving quit advice (48.2 versus 53.8 percent) and using cessation treatments (35.2 versus 41.5 percent), and similar prevalence of quit success (9.5 versus 7.9 percent).

"Continued progress in reducing tobacco use and related disparities requires efforts to increase smoking cessation," the authors write. "Opportunities exist across public health and health care sectors to increase smoking cessation, including expanding access to and use of cessation services and supports."

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