Tobacco use in Arizona 2023

• In 2022, 12.7% of adults in Arizona smoked. Nationally, adult smoking prevalence was 14.0%.¹
• In 2021, 3.4% of high school students in Arizona smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, smoking prevalence among high school students was 3.8%.²

• In 2022, 9.0% of adults in Arizona used e-cigarettes. Nationally, adult e-cigarette use prevalence was 7.7%¹
• In 2022, 2.7% of adults in Arizona used smokeless tobacco, every day or some days. Nationally, adult smokeless tobacco use prevalence was 3.4%¹.
• In 2021, 17.2% of high school students in Arizona used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, e-cigarette use prevalence among high school students was 18%.²
• In 2021, 1.7% of high school students in Arizona used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, smokeless tobacco use prevalence among high school students was 2.5%.²
• In 2021, 1.6% of high school students in Arizona smoked cigars, cigarillos or little cigars on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, cigar use prevalence among high school students was 3.1%.²

• Arizona received $414.9 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2023.⁴
• Of this, the state allocated $17.7 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2023, 27.5% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target.⁴
• Smoking-related health care costs: $2.76 billion per year.⁴
• Smoking-related losses in productivity: $5.2 billion per year.⁵

Tobacco taxes

• Arizona is ranked 19th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $2.00 per pack (enacted December 2006), compared with the national average of $1.93. (New York has the highest tax at $5.35 and Missouri has the lowest at 17 cents.) ^6-8
• Smokeless tobacco, including chewing tobacco, smoking tobacco, and snuff, are taxed at 22.25 cents per ounce. Cavendish, plug, and twist tobacco are taxed at 5.45 cents per ounce. All other tobacco products have varying taxes based on weight or quantity.⁶

Clean indoor air ordinances

• Smoking is prohibited in all government and private workplaces, schools, childcare facilities, retail stores, recreational/cultural facilities, restaurants, bars and casinos/gaming establishments (tribal establishments are not subject to state law).⁷
• Use of e-cigarettes is prohibited in foster homes and in vehicles when a foster child is present. Vaping is not authorized in state vehicles.⁹

Licensing laws

• Wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products. Retailers are not required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products.⁶
• Retailers and wholesalers are not required to obtain a license to sell e-cigarette products.⁹

Youth access laws

• In December 2019, the United States adopted a law raising the federal minimum age of sale of all tobacco products to 21, effective immediately.
• Minors are prohibited from buying e-cigarettes.⁶

Local tobacco laws

• The use of smokeless tobacco products is prohibited at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondacks.¹⁰

• The CDC estimates 47.2% of daily adult smokers in Arizona quit smoking for one or more days in 2019.³
• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all quit medications.⁷**
• Arizona’s state quit line invests $2.61 per smoker, compared with the national median of $2.37.⁷
• Arizona does not have a private insurance mandate provision for quitting tobacco.⁷

Updated June 2023

* The datasets for both adults and youth prevalence were used to make direct comparisons at the state and national levels. National prevalence reported here may differ from what is reported in our national-level fact sheets. The numbers here also reflect the most recent data available. Dates of available data may differ across state fact sheets.

**The seven recommended quitting medications are NRT gum, NRT patch, NRT nasal spray, NRT inhaler, NRT lozenge, Varenicline (Chantix) and Bupropion (Zyban).

Fiore MC, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service: May 2008.

1.         CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2022.

2.         CDC, Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System, 2021.

3.         CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System, 2023.

4.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Broken Promises to Our Children: a State-by-State Look at the 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 24 Years Later FY2023, 2023.

5.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Toll of Tobacco in the United States.

6.         American Lung Association, State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI).

7.         American Lung Association, State of Tobacco Control, 2023.

8.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. State Cigarette Excise Tax Rates & Rankings. https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0097.pdf. Accessed October 4th 2023.

9.         Public Health Law Center. U.S. E-Cigarette Regulation: 50-State Review. http://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/us-e-cigarette-regulations-50-state-review. Accessed October 4th 2023.

10.       Knock Tobacco Out of the Park. https://tobaccofreebaseball.org/. Accessed October 4th 2023.