In 1995, about 5.7 million African American adults smoked cigarettes, accounting for approximately 12% of the 47 million adult smokers in the United States.

The prevalence of current smoking among African Americans is 25.8 percent, compared with 25.6 percent for whites.

Cigarette smoking is more common among African American males than white males (28.8 percent vs. 27.1 percent). Although African Americans smoke fewer cigarettes, on average, they tend to smoke brands with higher nicotine and tar levels. African Americans are also more likely to smoke mentholated cigarettes.

An estimated 45,000 African Americans die from smoking-related diseases yearly.

African Americans have higher lung cancer incidence and mortality rates than whites. African Americans tend to start smoking at a later age, are more likely to attempt to quit smoking, and less likely to succeed in quitting than their white counterparts. If current patterns continue, an estimated 1.6 million African Americans who are now under the age of 18 will become regular smokers. About 500,000 of those smokers will die of a smoking-related disease.

As smoking has declined among the white non-Hispanic population, tobacco companies have targeted both African Americans and Hispanics with intensive merchandising, which includes billboards, advertising in media oriented to these communities, and sponsorship of civic groups and athletic, cultural, and entertainment events.

Among African Americans, as with other U.S. populations, the prevalence of smoking declines as education level increases. Smoking rates were higher among African Americans who had less than a high school education (34.8 percent) compared with those with a college education (16.7 percent).

The rate of cigarette smoking increased by 80 percent among African American high school students from 1991 to 1997, climbing from 12.6 percent to 22.7 percent. The most dramatic increase occurred among African American males, whose cigarette smoking prevalence doubled from 14.1 percent in 1991 to 28.2 percent in 1997.

Of current African American adult smokers, more than 70 percent say that they want to quit smoking completely. African American smokers are more likely than white smokers to have quit for at least one day during the previous year (48.7 percent vs 40.3 percent). African Americans, however, are much less likely than whites to remain smoke-free for one month or more (7.9 percent vs. 14 percent).

Hispanic Americans
There are approximately 30 million Hispanic-Americans living in the United States, comprising 11.1 percent of the total population. Hispanics in the United States are generally grouped in five populations: Mexican-Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, Cuban-Americans, Central-South Americans and "other." Among these groups, smoking prevalence is highest in Puerto Rican Americans (25.0 percent), followed by other Hispanics (22.4 percent), Mexican Americans (22.2 percent) and Cuban Americans (20.7 percent).

Hispanics are less likely to be smokers (18.3 percent) than non-Hispanic whites (25.6 percent) and African Americans (25.8 percent).

Hispanic smokers (both male and female) tend to smoke fewer cigarettes per day (a half a pack daily or less) than non-Hispanic whites.

Among Hispanics, the proportion of men who smoke (22.9 percent) is higher than that of women (15.1 percent).

Among Hispanic adolescents, the smoking rate increased 34 percent between 1991 (25.3 percent) and 1997 (34.0 percent). During the same years, the rate of increase for white students was 28 percent, from 30.9 percent in 1991 to 39.7 percent in 1997.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Hispanics. Lung cancer deaths are about three times higher for Hispanic men (23.1 per 100,000) than for Hispanic women (7.7 per 100,000).

As smoking has declined among the white non-Hispanic population, tobacco companies have targeted both African Americans and Hispanics with intensive merchandising, which includes billboards, advertising in media oriented to these communities, and sponsorship of civic groups and athletic, cultural, and entertainment events.

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders
Asians/Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, nearly tripling in size from 1980 to 1998. Among racial and ethnic groups, the prevalence of current smoking is lowest among Asians/Pacific Islanders (16.6 percent), compared with American Indians/Alaskan Natives (36.2 percent), African Americans (25.8 percent), whites (25.6 percent), and Hispanics (18.3 percent).

Recent prevalence data show that Asian American and Pacific Islander men (25.1 percent) and white men (27.6 percent) smoked at similar rates. However, smoking prevalence was substantially lower among Asian American and Pacific Islander women (5.8 percent) compared with white women (24.4 percent). Nonetheless, unlike the general population, smoking rates among Asian and Pacific Islander women increases with age.

There are significant variations in smoking rates among Asian Americans and Pacific Islander groups. Much higher smoking rates are seen among population groups from Southeast Asia (e.g., Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) than among population groups from other locations (e.g., Philippines, China, Japan). Smoking rates are much higher among Asian American and Pacific Islander men than among Asian American and Pacific Islander women, regardless of country of origin.

Research shows that among Asian American and Pacific Islander adults from Southeast Asia, those who are more proficient in English and those living in the United States longer are less likely to be smokers.

While in the general population, smoking among women decreases with age, smoking rates among Asian American and Pacific Islander women increase with age.

Asian American and Pacific Islander smokers (both male and female) tend to smoke fewer cigarettes per day (a half a pack daily or less) than whites.