Tobacco Use and Cessation Behaviors in Young Adults: 2016 National Health Interview Survey

Objectives. To examine differences in tobacco use and cessation between young adults (aged 18-24 years) and adults aged 25 years or older. Methods. We used data from the 2016 US National Health Interview Survey (n = 33 028) to identify 13 494 current and former cigarette smokers (562 aged 18-24 years; 12 932 aged 25 years or older). We analyzed correlations between age group, cigarette smoking, cessation behaviors, and other tobacco and nicotine use. Results. Among current and former smokers, those aged 18 to 24 years had lower odds of having quit for 1 year or longer and higher odds of having tried e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco compared with adults aged 25 years or older, as well as higher odds of daily e-cigarette and smokeless tobacco use. Young adult smokers used fewer cigarettes per day than did those aged 25 years or older (mean = 8.8 vs 12.3), had higher odds of making a past-year quit attempt (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.42), and had lower odds of having a health professional talk to them about smoking (AOR = 0.44). Conclusions. Greater experimentation with noncigarette products, lower cigarette consumption, and greater interest in quitting smoking invite novel intervention approaches to tobacco reduction, cessation, and relapse prevention in young adults.