from 12.6% in 2005 to 9.1% in 2011, whereas the proportion
of those who smoked 1–9 CPD increased significantly, from
16.4% to 22.0%. To help reduce the national prevalence of
cigarette smoking among adults to the HP2020 target of 12%,
population-based prevention strategies (e.g., increasing prices
of tobacco products, antitobacco media campaigns featuring
graphic personal stories on the adverse health impact of
smoking, smoke-free laws for workplaces and public places,
and barrier-free access to help quitting) will need to be implemented
more extensively. Such evidence-based tobacco control
interventions can help adults quit and prevent the initiation
of tobacco use (3).
The NHIS adult core questionnaire is administered by inperson
interviews to a nationally representative sample of the
noninstitutionalized, U.S. civilian population aged ≥18 years.
The 2011 NHIS adult core sample included 33,014 respondents,
and the overall response rate was 66.3% (4). Current
smokers were those who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes
during their lifetimes and, at the time of interview, reported
smoking every day or some days. Former smokers were those
who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes during their
lifetimes but currently did not smoke. A quit attempt was
defined as a report by a current smoker that they had stopped
smoking for >1 day during the preceding year because they
were trying to quit smoking, or a report by a former smoker
that they had quit during the preceding year.† Overall and sexspecific
estimates of current smoking were calculated by age,
race/ethnicity, education level, poverty status,§ U.S. Census
region,¶ and disability status.** The mean number of CPD
was calculated for daily current smokers.