Tobacco use in Illinois 2023

• In 2022, 12.4% of adults in Illinois smoked. Nationally, adult smoking prevalence was 14.0¹
• In 2021, 2.5% of high school students in Illinois 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% 5.2% of adults in Illinois used e-cigarettes. Nationally, adult e-cigarette use prevalence was 7.7%.¹
• In 2022, 2.2% of adults in Illinois used smokeless tobacco every day or some days. Nationally, adult smokeless tobacco use prevalence was 3.4%.¹
• In 2021, 16.7% of high school students in Illinois 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, 1.9% of high school students in Illinois 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, 2.6% of high school students in Illinois 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

• Illinois received $1.2 billion (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2022.⁴
• Of this, the state allocated $10.1 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2022, 7.4% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target.⁴
• Smoking-related health care costs: $6.38 billion per year⁴
• Smoking-related losses in productivity: $13.7 billion per year⁵

Tobacco taxes

• Illinois is ranked 12th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $2.98 per pack (enacted June 2012), 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
• Moist snuff is taxed at 30 cents per ounce. Electronic cigarettes are taxed at 15% of the wholesale price. All other tobacco products, including little cigars are taxed at 36% of the wholesale price.^6,7

Clean indoor air ordinances

• Smoking is prohibited in all government workplaces, private workplaces, schools, childcare facilities, restaurants, bars, casinos/gaming establishments, retail stores and recreational/cultural facilities.^6,7
• The use of e-cigarettes is prohibited on public higher education campuses and in any building or structure in the Illinois Capitol Complex.⁹ Otherwise, there are no statewide restrictions on the use of electronic cigarettes in public places and workplaces. They are not included in the state’s indoor air laws.^6,7

Licensing laws

• Retailers and wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products.⁶
• A license or permit is required 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.
• Establishments are required to post signs stating that sales to minors are prohibited.^6,7
• Minors are prohibited from buying alternative nicotine products, including e-cigarettes.^6,7
• No person under 16 years of age may sell an electronic cigarette at a retail establishment (unless child within family-owned business).⁹
• Remote sales of electronic cigarettes require third party age verification. Delivery sales of electronic cigarettes require common carrier to verify the purchaser’s age through government-issued identification, that the electronic cigarettes are not intended for consumption by anyone under the age of 21 and shall obtain the purchaser’s signature on a written statement. Shipment must be in manufacturer’s original packaging or wrapping that clearly states the contents are “electronic cigarettes.” Additionally for delivery sales, seller must obtain the written certification and make a good faith effort to verify the consumer’s age, and receives payment by a credit or debit card issued in the consumer’s name, or by check or other written instrument in such consumer’s name. Finally, delivery cannot be made to a post office box.⁹
• Advertising for electronic cigarettes may not encourage persons under 21 years of age to use them, or be attractive to persons under 21 years of age, including by inclusion of cartoons, images, characters or phrases popularly used to advertise to children, or video games, movies, videos or animated television shows known to appeal primarily to persons under 21 years of age.⁹

Local tobacco laws

• The city of Chicago:
  • Prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products or accessories, including menthol, within 500 feet of any city high school¹⁰
  • Requires a retail tobacco license for the sale of e-cigarettes and bans the distribution and sale of e-cigarettes to minors, prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes within 100 feet of a school and/or day care facility, and requires e-cigarettes be stored in a manner that is not physically accessible to the public¹¹
  • Bans the use of smokeless tobacco at professional and amateur sporting events, including at Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field¹²
  • Prohibits retailers from redeeming coupons or other discounts on tobacco products¹¹
  • Prohibits the sale of little cigars in packages of less than 10.¹¹
• River Forest prohibits the sale of flavored liquid nicotine products.¹⁰
• Skokie prohibits the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, except menthol.¹⁰
• Gurnee prohibits any retailer from being within 100 feet of a school.¹⁰

• The CDC estimates 52.7% of daily adult smokers in Illinois 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**
• Illinois’s state quit line invests $4.04 per smoker, compared with the national median of $2.37.⁷Illinois requires that most private health insurance plans be in compliance with ACA guidance on quitting tobacco as a preventive service.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, 2021.

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, 2021.

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.       Truth Initiative, Local restrictions on flavored tobacco and e-cigarette products. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/local-restrictions-flavored-tobacco-and-e-cigarette. Accessed October 4th, 2023.

11.       City of Chicago. Tobacco Regulations. https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/bacp/supp_info/tobaccoregulations.html. Published 2016. Accessed.

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