According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, an estimated 11.5% (28.3 million) of U.S. adults currently smoked cigarettes. This is a significant decrease from 20.9% in 2005. The percentage of adult smokers has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans, and changes in the social acceptability of smoking in public. The CDC also reports that current cigarette smoking was highest among people aged 25–44 years and 45–64 years, and lowest among people aged 18-24 years. Additionally, current cigarette smoking was highest among people with a general education development (GED) certificate and lowest among those with a graduate degree. It is important to note that smoking is a leading cause of preventable death and contributes to many health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke.