| 10.28.2026

Reports |

Featured image: no smoking sign in bar or restaurant

2025 Wyoming Adult Commercial Tobacco and Nicotine Survey

Wyoming Adults' Use of and Attitudes About Commercial Tobacco and Nicotine Products

By , , and

Promoting Quitting

Quitting commercial tobacco and nicotine products is difficult because they rapidly deliver addictive nicotine to the brain (CDC, 2024d, 2024g). Regular use leads to dependence, and quitting often leads to withdrawal. Use of these products can also become part of a person’s daily routine, making it even harder to stop.

The SUTPP has the goal of reducing the health burdens of commercial tobacco and nicotine use by promoting and supporting quitting among adults and youth.

In this section, WYSAC explores the desire to quit among adults who currently use commercial tobacco and their quit attempts. WYSAC looks at awareness of quitlines, use of quit aids, and barriers to quitting. This section also covers visits to healthcare providers and conclusions and recommendations based on the data and best practices in helping people quit.

Efforts to Quit Smoking

Desire to Quit Among Adults Who Smoke

About half (53%) of adults who currently smoke want to quit smoking cigarettes. This was a significant decrease from 68% in 2015. The 13 percentage-point difference between 2023 and 2025 was not significant. About one in four adults who currently smoke were unsure about whether they want to quit smoking cigarettes. This was a significant increase from 6% in 2015 (Figure 20).

Figure 20: About Half of Adults Who Smoke Want to Quit. Line chart showing the percentage of adults who smoke who want to quit smoking cigarettes for good in survey years 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025. Want to quit was 68%, 69%, 68%, 57%, 66%, and 53%; don’t want to quit was 26%, 26%, 28%, 34%, 21%, and 23%; and unsure was 6%, 6%, 4%, 8%, 13%, and 24%. Want to quit and unsure changed significantly over time. Percentages do not add up to 100% in some years because of rounding.

Quit Attempts Among Adults Who Smoke

At some point in their lives, the majority (81%) of adults who currently smoke had stopped smoking for at least one day because they were trying to quit for good.

About one in three (35%) adults who currently smoke have tried to quit smoking at least once in the past year because they were trying to quit for good (Figure 21).

Smokers’ quit attempts have not changed significantly between 2010 and 2025.

Figure 21: Most Adults Who Smoke Have Tried to Quit. Bar chart showing the percentage of adults who smoke who tried to quit in the past year, tried in their lifetime but not in the past year, or never tried to quit: 35% tried in the past year, 46% tried in their lifetime but not in the past year, and 19% never tried to quit.

Aids to Quit Smoking

Awareness of Quitlines

Most (69%) adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine (including ENDS) were aware of telephone quitline services (Figure 22). About two in five (43%) adults who do not use commercial tobacco or nicotine were aware of telephone quitline services.

Figure 22: Most Adults Who Use Commercial Tobacco or Nicotine Were Aware of the Quitline. Bar chart showing the percentage of adults who were aware of telephone quitline services by commercial tobacco or nicotine use: 69% of adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine were aware of quitline services. 43% of adults who do not use tobacco or nicotine were aware of quitline services.

This may demonstrate the success of media campaigns by SUTPP and their partners, including county-level efforts.

Obstacles to Quitting Cigarettes Among Adults Who Smoke

Cravings for a cigarette were the most common obstacle for adults who smoke and tried to quit in their lifetime or wanted to quit (90%; Figure 23). The second most common obstacle to quitting cigarettes was the loss of a way to handle stress (76%). The Wyoming Quit Tobacco (WQT) program specifically targets the most common obstacles to quitting smoking (https://www.quitwyo.org). In particular, the medications provided are designed to reduce cravings. Coaching can include strategies to deal with other obstacles, such as losing a way to handle stress.

In addition, 56% reported that other people smoking around them is an obstacle to quitting smoking. These adults could benefit from increased smokefree air policies in their environments.

Figure 23: Most Obstacles to Quitting Smoking Are Addressed by the WQT. Bar chart showing the percentage of adults who smoke and had tried to quit in their lifetime or wanted to quit who faced obstacles to quitting smoking: cravings for a cigarette, 90%; loss of a way to handle stress, 76%; withdrawal, 61%; other people smoking around you, 56%; worsening anxiety, 52%; cost of medicines or products to help with quitting, 38%; fear of gaining weight, 30%; worsening depression, 28%; cost of classes to help with quitting, 15%; and other, 26%. Percentages do not add up to 100% because respondents could choose more than one option.

Quitting ENDS Use

In 2025, about half (55%) of adults who currently used ENDS had tried to quit in the past year or in their lifetime (Figure 24).

Figure 24: About Half of Adults Who Currently Used ENDS Tried to Quit in the Past Year or in Their Lifetime. Bar chart showing the percentage of adults who currently use ENDS who tried to quit using ENDS in the past year, tried in their lifetime but not in the past year, or never tried to quit: 43% tried in the past year, 12% tried in their lifetime but not in the past year, and 45% never tried to quit.

Health Professionals’ Involvement in Quitting Commercial Tobacco or Nicotine Use

Visits with Health Professionals

The 2025 Wyoming Adult Commercial Tobacco and Nicotine Survey asked respondents if they had seen a health professional (a doctor, dentist, nurse, or another health professional) in the past year and, if so, if the health professional asked if they smoked cigarettes or used any other commercial tobacco or nicotine products, including ENDS.

In 2025, 25% of adults used commercial tobacco or nicotine (including those who smoked in the past year). Most of these adults had seen a health professional in the past year (87%; Figure 25). Those who did not see a health professional (13%) missed an opportunity to discuss tobacco and nicotine use and quitting with their provider, a key intervention point. Commercial tobacco or nicotine use was not related to the likelihood of seeing a health professional.

Figure 25: Most Adults Who Use Commercial Tobacco or Nicotine See a Health Professional. Bar chart showing the percentage of adults who had seen a health professional by commercial tobacco or nicotine use status: 87% among adults who use tobacco or nicotine, 91% among adults who do not use tobacco or nicotine, and 90% overall.

Patient Experiences with Health Professionals’ Support for Quitting Commercial Tobacco and Nicotine Use

Adults are often asked about their commercial tobacco or nicotine use when visiting a health professional. In 2025, 78% of all adults were asked if they smoked cigarettes or used any other commercial tobacco or nicotine products. Adults who used commercial tobacco or nicotine (90%) were more likely to be asked if they smoked cigarettes or used any other commercial tobacco or nicotine products than adults who did not use commercial tobacco or nicotine (73%).

WYSAC does not know to what extent health professionals use medical records to screen for commercial tobacco or nicotine use during a visit. This may have been a limitation when health professionals did not ask about commercial tobacco or nicotine use because they already had records of it.

About a quarter (23%) of commercial tobacco or nicotine users were offered assistance with quitting, even when focusing on those who say a professional asked them about their commercial tobacco or nicotine use (Figure 26).

Figure 26: About One Fourth of Adults Who Use Commercial Tobacco or Nicotine Received Assistance from Health Professionals. Bar chart showing experiences of adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine and had seen a health professional in the past year. The full group, represented by 100%, consists of tobacco or nicotine users who had seen a health professional. Among this group, 90% were asked about tobacco or nicotine use, 46% were advised to quit, 26% were asked about their desire to quit, and 23% were offered assistance with quitting.

When adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine were offered assistance, health professionals provided WQT information (67%; Figure 27), recommended nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) (60%), and prescribed medication (13%). The percentage of adults who received WQT information significantly decreased from 87% in 2021 to 67% in 2025. The percentage of adults who were prescribed medication also significantly decreased from 39% in 2021 to 13% in 2025. Healthcare providers offering support such as NRT, prescription medication, and referral to quitline services such as WQT align with best practices for support of quitting. Opportunities exist to increase the number of adults who are offered assistance by their healthcare provider to quit.

Figure 27: Medication is the Least Frequently Offered Quit Aid. Bar chart showing the percentage of adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine who were advised to quit and were offered assistance by a health professional to help them quit: 67% received Wyoming Quit Tobacco information, 60% were recommended nicotine replacement therapies, and 13% were prescribed medication. Respondents could report more than one type of assistance. Medication may include Wellbutrin, Zyban, bupropion, Chantix, or varenicline.

Conclusion

Most smokers want to quit smoking cigarettes or have tried to quit at some point in their lives. When they try to quit or want to quit, adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine face obstacles such as cravings for a cigarette, loss of a way to handle stress, and others smoking around them. The WQT program is designed to assist with all of these obstacles.

Most adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine are aware of quitline services.

Education and media emphasizing how the WQT program addresses common barriers to quitting smoking may increase enrollment in the WQT program. Additionally, the use of WQT program offerings (such as NRT and medications) can then increase the chances of adults quitting.

Many adults who currently use ENDS want to quit. Among adults who currently use ENDS, about half had tried to quit ENDS in the past year or in their lifetime.

Callout box: Opportunities exist to increase the number of adults who are offered assistance by their healthcare provider to quit.Visits to health professionals are opportunities for connecting current commercial tobacco or nicotine users to available resources and addressing barriers to quitting. Most adults were asked by a health professional if they used commercial tobacco or nicotine products. Adults who use commercial tobacco or nicotine were less likely to report that health professionals followed up or offered help with quitting than they were to report being asked about their use. Greater collaboration with health professionals could result in more commercial tobacco or nicotine users becoming aware of, and receiving, services that could increase their chances of quitting (CDC, 2015a).