A new national study suggests a major shift is taking place in how American adults use nicotine products — and cigarettes are steadily losing ground. 

Researchers analyzing more than a decade of US health survey data found that adult nicotine use has increasingly moved away from combustible cigarettes and toward vaping products, especially among younger adults. 

The study, published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, examined data from the National Health Interview Survey between 2014 and 2024 and tracked how adults used cigarettes, vaping products, or both over time. 

While the overall percentage of adults using cigarettes and/or vapes changed only slightly during the study period, the type of products being used changed dramatically. 

 

Smoking Declined While Exclusive Vaping Rose 

 

 

In early 2014, exclusive cigarette smoking accounted for nearly 80% of all cigarette and vape use among adults included in the analysis. 

By the end of 2024, that number had fallen to just under 50%. 

At the same time, exclusive vaping increased sharply: 

• Exclusive vaping rose from 5.5% in 2014 
• To 39.9% by late 2024 

 

Researchers said the findings point to a significant population-level transition away from combustible tobacco products and toward non-combustible nicotine alternatives. 

Importantly, the study found that overall cigarette and/or vape use among adults remained relatively stable over the decade: 

• 17.9% of US adults used cigarettes and/or vapes in early 2014 
• 16.1% did so in late 2024 

That means the nicotine market itself did not dramatically expand among adults during the study period — instead, many users appear to have shifted from smoking to vaping. 

 

Younger Adults Led the Shift Away from Cigarettes 

 

The most dramatic changes occurred among adults aged 18 to 29. 

Within this age group: 

• Exclusive smoking fell from 72.8% to just 7.1% 
• Exclusive vaping rose from 8.8% to 83% 

 

By late 2024, exclusive daily vaping had become the single most common nicotine-use pattern among younger adults who used cigarettes and/or vapes. 

Researchers described the trend as a substantial move away from combustible cigarettes among younger adult nicotine users. 

The study also found meaningful declines in exclusive smoking among adults aged 30 to 44 and 45 to 59, although those changes were less dramatic than those seen in younger adults. 

Among adults aged 30 to 44: 

• Exclusive smoking fell from 77.7% to 47.2% 

 

Among adults aged 45 to 59: 

• Exclusive smoking declined from 84.2% to 71.9% 

 

Even with those declines, cigarettes remained the dominant nicotine product among older adult groups. 

 

Adults Over 60 Saw Minimal Change 

 

The study found that adults aged 60 and older remained heavily reliant on combustible cigarettes throughout the decade. 

Among adults in this age group who used cigarettes and/or vapes: 

• Exclusive smoking remained largely unchanged 
• Rates moved only slightly from 85.9% to 85.4% 

 

Exclusive vaping increased only modestly among older adults, rising from 3.8% to 9%. 

Researchers suggested several possible explanations, including long-established smoking habits and ongoing misconceptions about vaping risks. 

The study noted that older adults are more likely than younger adults to believe vaping products are equally or more harmful than cigarettes, despite growing evidence to the contrary. 

Researchers argued that older smokers remain a critical public health priority because they face the highest burden of smoking-related disease and mortality while showing the slowest movement away from combustible tobacco. 

 

Dual Use Still Exists — But Remains a Smaller Trend 

 

The study also examined dual use, meaning adults who both smoke cigarettes and vape. 

Dual use declined initially before rising again after 2019, creating what researchers described as a “U-shaped” trend. 

However, dual use still represented a smaller share of overall nicotine behaviors compared to exclusive smoking or exclusive vaping. 

The most common dual-use pattern involved: 

• daily cigarette smoking 
• combined with occasional vaping 

 

Because the study analyzed repeated survey snapshots rather than following the same individuals over time, researchers could not determine whether vaping was being used as: 

• a temporary transition away from smoking 
• a cigarette reduction strategy 
• or an additional nicotine product alongside continued smoking 

 

Still, researchers noted that more dual users shifted toward non-daily smoking over time, potentially indicating movement away from full-time cigarette use for some adults. 

 

Why the Findings Matter 

 

One of the most important takeaways from the study is that vaping appears to be displacing cigarette smoking among US adults rather than simply adding new nicotine use across the population. 

That distinction matters in ongoing policy debates. 

Much of the public discussion surrounding vaping focuses on youth use and nicotine initiation. But this study highlights another side of the equation: adult smokers increasingly moving away from combustible cigarettes and toward non-combustible alternatives. 

The authors stated that if adults are replacing cigarettes with vaping products, the trend could represent meaningful population-level harm reduction. 

The study does not claim vaping is risk-free. However, it reinforces growing evidence that many adults are choosing vaping products instead of continuing to smoke cigarettes — particularly younger adults. 

 

Study Limitations 

 

Researchers noted several limitations to the analysis: 

• the study relied on self-reported behavior 
• some less common usage categories involved smaller sample sizes 
• the analysis did not include nicotine pouches or other alternative nicotine products due to low survey prevalence 

 

The study also did not track individual behavior over time, meaning it cannot definitively prove whether vaping directly caused smoking cessation for specific participants. 

Still, the broader population trends were clear: cigarette smoking among adult nicotine users declined substantially over the past decade while exclusive vaping increased sharply. 

 

The Bigger Picture 

 

As policymakers continue debating vaping regulations, flavor restrictions, and nicotine product access, studies like this provide important insight into how adult nicotine behavior is evolving in the real world. 

The findings suggest that for many adults — especially younger adults — vaping is increasingly replacing smoking rather than existing alongside it. 

And as smoking rates continue to decline, understanding the role of alternatives may become increasingly important in future public health discussions.