Tobacco products in the U.S. - statistics and facts
Tobacco refers to the plants in the Nicotiana genus and of the Solanaceae family, as well as the products created with the respective plants, such as cigarettes, cigars, and snus. Smoking tobacco is a dangerous habit, which can contribute to cancer and heart disease, among other complications. Not only is it bad for users (and for the people who live with them), but tobacco is also highly addictive, making it hard for many to quit.
Despite the issues, the industry is still a large one. The global tobacco market was worth roughly 941 billion U.S. dollars in 2023; a value set to reach over one trillion U.S. dollars by 2026. In the United States specifically, the market value of the tobacco industry stood at approximately 106 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and is likewise projected to increase with each consecutive year.
From 2001, U.S. cigarette exports declined significantly, reaching a low in 2012. From 2013, the U.S. trade value was on the rise once more, peaking at roughly one billion U.S. dollars in 2018 before collapsing again in 2020. In 2023, Canada was by far the largest trade partner of the United States for the product. Between 2012 and 2013, cigarette import numbers had more than doubled in the United States, from just under 200 million to over 415 million U.S. dollars. In subsequent years, the U.S. import value remained above the 300 million U.S. dollar mark, before decreasing once more.
In 2023, the most popular nicotine product in the United States was without a doubt the cigarette. That year, cigarettes made up well over two-thirds of the nicotine product shipment volume in the country. While vapor cartridges made up a small amount of the shipment volume compared to cigarettes, the product category is set keep its positive growth rate in the near future. The growth rate of cigarettes, on the other hand, is expected to stay negative. This is unsurprising, as overall sales of cigarettes in the United States have been declining for many years, while awareness surrounding the dangers of smoking has increased. Between 2001 and 2022, the number of individual cigarettes sold in the country was reduced by more than half.
Despite the issues, the industry is still a large one. The global tobacco market was worth roughly 941 billion U.S. dollars in 2023; a value set to reach over one trillion U.S. dollars by 2026. In the United States specifically, the market value of the tobacco industry stood at approximately 106 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and is likewise projected to increase with each consecutive year.
From 2001, U.S. cigarette exports declined significantly, reaching a low in 2012. From 2013, the U.S. trade value was on the rise once more, peaking at roughly one billion U.S. dollars in 2018 before collapsing again in 2020. In 2023, Canada was by far the largest trade partner of the United States for the product. Between 2012 and 2013, cigarette import numbers had more than doubled in the United States, from just under 200 million to over 415 million U.S. dollars. In subsequent years, the U.S. import value remained above the 300 million U.S. dollar mark, before decreasing once more.
In 2023, the most popular nicotine product in the United States was without a doubt the cigarette. That year, cigarettes made up well over two-thirds of the nicotine product shipment volume in the country. While vapor cartridges made up a small amount of the shipment volume compared to cigarettes, the product category is set keep its positive growth rate in the near future. The growth rate of cigarettes, on the other hand, is expected to stay negative. This is unsurprising, as overall sales of cigarettes in the United States have been declining for many years, while awareness surrounding the dangers of smoking has increased. Between 2001 and 2022, the number of individual cigarettes sold in the country was reduced by more than half.
