A new report released by the CDC shows that, for the first time in 3 years, the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults in the United States fell significantly, from 20.8 percent in 2006 to 19.8 percent in 2007. More than three in four adult smokers reported smoking every day, while about one in four reported smoking only on some days. The article appeared in the November 14 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Self-reported data were collected through the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from more than 23,000 randomly chosen people aged 18 years and over who completed in-person interviews.

Despite overall progress, only two groups of adults showed significant declines in smoking prevalence: blacks (from 23.0 percent to 19.8 percent) and people over the age of 65 (from 10.2 percent to 8.3 percent). Additionally, the percent of "everyday smokers" who attempted to quit in the previous 12 months was lower in 2007 than in 1993; those aged 18 to 24 years were more likely to make a quit attempt than older adults.

The authors suggest that the "lack of funding for comprehensive state tobacco-control programs" is a barrier to achieving greater progress in encouraging adults to quit. They also note that "Clinicians and health-care delivery systems need to consistently identify and document tobacco use status, treat every tobacco user seen in the health-care setting, and promote patients' use of quitlines," as part of a comprehensive tobacco control program. Quitlines are now available nationwide through the toll-free access number 1-800-QUIT-NOW.