WASHINGTON, D.C. — The percentage of smokers in the U.S. who light up a pack or more of cigarettes a day has fallen sharply over the past decade and is now at an all-time low of 26% in Gallup’s seven-decade trend. The figure topped 30% as recently as 2012 and routinely exceeded 50% until the late 1990s.

The latest findings are from Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll, conducted July 13-17. The trend shows a continuous decline in the percentage of heavy smokers over the years — with a particularly sharp drop since the late 1990s, when public smoking bans were implemented in many states and municipalities.

The decline in the percentage of heavy smokers somewhat mirrors a long-term decline in the overall percentage of Americans who smoke. Gallup’s data show that 19% of Americans report having smoked cigarettes in the past week, similar to recent years and well below the levels of 40% or higher in the 1940s to early 1970s.

Most Cigarette Smokers Have Tried to Quit

The percentage of current smokers would be even lower if smokers […]