40% of US Smokers Experience Functional Disability, Study Finds

A new study published in the journal Tobacco Control reveals that about 40% of the estimated 25 million U.S. adults who currently smoke experience some level of functional difficulty, with 14% reporting significant disabilities that interfere with daily life. The prevalence of disability among current smokers is more than twice that of adults who have never smoked, with the most common issues being mobility and cognitive impairments. Researchers analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey collected between 2019 and 2023, using the Washington Group–Short Set to assess difficulties in six core areas including vision, hearing, mobility, communication, cognition, and self-care. Former smokers also showed higher disability rates than never-smokers, but lower than current smokers, indicating a gradient of risk associated with smoking status. Smoking was identified as the third leading risk factor for disability in the U.S. as of 2019, yet the study highlights a gap in detailed knowledge about the types and degrees of functional difficulty related to smoking. These findings underscore the significant health burden smoking places on individuals, particularly in relation to disability and functional impairments.