Cigarette smoking has seriously declined in the U.S. from its heyday in 1965—68% fewer adults smoke today. Still, about 14% of the adult population smokes (more men than women), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S. It kills more than 480,000 Americans annually, and it cost more than $600 billion in 2018, including over $240 billion in health care spending and nearly $373 billion in lost productivity. The CDC notes states collected about $27.2 billion from tobacco taxes and court settlements in 2020, while spending $740 million on programs to discourage young people from smoking or to help smokers quit.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention