Tobacco use: New Jersey 2026

Cigarette use: New Jersey* 

• In 2024, 8.6% of adults in New Jersey smoked. Nationally, adult smoking prevalence was 11.6%. 
• In 2018-2019, 36.4% of adults who smoked in New Jersey smoked menthol cigarettes. Nationally, 32.3% of adult smokers used menthol cigarettes during this period.
• In 2023, 2.8% of high school students in New Jersey smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, youth smoking prevalence was 3.5%. 

Other tobacco product use: New Jersey* 

• In 2024, 6.2% of adults in New Jersey used e-cigarettes. Nationally, adult smoking prevalence was 8.0%.
• In 2024, 1.6% of adults in New Jersey used smokeless tobacco every day or some days. Nationally, adult smokeless tobacco use prevalence was 3.4%. 
• In 2023, 18.2% of high school students in New Jersey used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, the rate was 16.8%. 

Economics of tobacco use and tobacco control 

• New Jersey received $667.1 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2026.  
• Of this, the state allocated $7.2 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2026, 6.9% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target. 
• Smoking-caused health care costs: $4.72 billion per year.  
• Smoking-caused losses in productivity: $8.9 billion per year.  

New Jersey tobacco laws

Tobacco taxes 

• New Jersey is ranked 13th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $3.00 per pack (enacted August 2025), compared to the national average $2.05. (New York has the highest tax at $5.35 and Missouri has the lowest at 17 cents.)  
• Moist snuff is taxed at 75 cents per ounce. Liquid nicotine is taxed at 10 cents per milliliter and a proportionate rate on all fractional parts of a milliliter. Container e-liquid is taxed at 10% of the retail sales price. All other tobacco products are taxed at 30% of the wholesale price.  

Clean indoor air ordinances 

• Smoking is prohibited in all government workplaces, private workplaces, schools, childcare facilities, restaurants, bars (allowed in cigar bars/lounges), and retail stores. Smoking restrictions are required in casinos and gaming establishments.  
• Smoking is prohibited in indoor areas of horse tracks. Atlantic City has an ordinance restricting smoking to 25% of the gaming floors of casinos.  
• Children’s Group Homes must prohibit use of electronic smoking devices by children and staff sale/distribution of such devices to children.  
• Use of electronic cigarettes prohibited in Atlantic City International Airport similar to smoking.  
• Use of electronic smoking devices is prohibited in the same spaces smoking is prohibited, including indoor public places, workplaces, public parks, and beaches, with some exceptions. Use of electronic smoking devices is prohibited in lodging establishments.  
• E-cigarettes are included in the state’s indoor air laws and the state’s definition of smoking and tobacco products.

Flavor restrictions 

• The sale of all flavored vapor products is prohibited.  

Licensing laws 

• Retailers and wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products.  
• A license is required to sell e-cigarettes and containers of e-liquid.  

Point of sale laws 

• Retailers are prohibited from using coupons, price reductions, and rebates related to the sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.  

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 and those who sell tobacco products to those under 21 will be fined and could face suspension or revocation of their tobacco license. The sign must also state that proof of age may be required for purchase of tobacco products. 
• Advertising of e-cigarettes is prohibited on NJ Transit.  

Local tobacco laws 

• Secaucus limits the number of licenses for retail electronic smoking establishments to 11. 

Quitting statistics and benefits

• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all tobacco cessation medications.** 
• New Jersey’s state quit line invested $0.49 per smoker as of last year, compared to the current national median of $2.62. 
• New Jersey has a private insurance mandate provision for cessation. 

Notes and references 

* 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 cessation 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. 

Updated March 2026 

1. CDC. (2024). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. 

2. CDC. (2024). State Menthol Fact Sheets. 

3. CDC. (2023). High School Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System. 

4. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (2026). Broken Promises to Our Children: A State-by-State Look at the 1998 Tobacco Settlement 27 Years Later. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/what-we-do/us/statereport 

5. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (2024). The Toll of Tobacco in the United States. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. 

6. American Lung Association. (2024). State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI). 

7. American Lung Association. (2026). State of Tobacco Control. https://www.lung.org/research/sotc 

8. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (2024). State Cigarette Excise Tax Rates & Rankings. https://assets.tobaccofreekids.org/factsheets/0097.pdf 

9. NJ Division of Taxation—Tax Increase on Cigarette, Tobacco, and Vapor Products. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2025, from https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/cigarettetax-increase.shtml 

10. American Lung Association. (2024). State of Tobacco Control. 

11. Public Health Law Center. (2024, June 15). U.S. E-Cigarette Regulations: 50 State Review. https://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/us-e-cigarette-regulations-50-state-review 

12. Truth Initiative. (2024, June 30). Local restrictions on flavored tobacco and e-cigarette products. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/local-restrictions-flavored-tobacco-and-e-cigarette 

13. New Jersey Department of Treasury. (2020). Notice: Cigarette/Tobacco & Vapor Products Tax—Prohibited Use of Coupons, Price Reduction Promotions & Price Rebates. https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/cigcoupons.shtml 

14. FDA. (2024). Tobacco 21. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/retail-sales-tobacco-products/tobacco-21 

15. Mayor and Council Meeting (2022).