Hispanics / Latinos
Know the Facts
Cigarette smoking increases your risk for heart disease and cancer, which are the leading causes of death for Hispanics/Latinos in the United States.
- About 1 in 10 (9.8%) adults with Hispanic or Latino heritage in the U.S. smokes cigarettes.*
- Among Hispanics/Latinos, cigarette smoking is more common in men than women.†
For More Information
- Learn what percent of people currently smoke cigarettes, both in the United States overall and among specific populations.
Real Stories: Hispanics/Latinos Featured in Tips®
Meet Beatrice. Beatrice, age 40, lives in New York and began smoking regularly at age 13. A mother of two, she quit smoking in 2010 because she wanted to be around for her family.
Meet Felicita. Felicita, age 54, lives in Florida and began smoking at age 12. She didn’t know smoking could harm her gums and teeth. She lost all her teeth by age 50.
Meet Jessica. Jessica, age 28, lives in New York and has never smoked. Her son, Aden, was diagnosed with asthma at age 3, and exposure to secondhand smoke has triggered asthma attacks.
Meet Mariano. Mariano, age 55, lives in Illinois. He started smoking at 15. In 2004, he had open heart surgery and barely escaped having a heart attack. He quit smoking — grateful for a second chance at life.
Meet Rose. Rose lived in Texas and began smoking at age 13. She developed lung cancer that later spread to her brain. After many, many treatments, Rose died in January 2015. She was 60.
Learn more about all Tips participants in our Real Stories section.
Quitting Help
For quitting resources in Spanish, please see ¡Estoy listo para dejar de fumar! —the quitting area on our Tips Spanish site, Consejos de exfumadores.
To get started right now, see our How to Quit Smoking area featuring a Quit Guide website and an additional Quitting Resources page.
Get free help to quit smoking by calling a quitline. Quitline coaches can answer questions, help you develop a quit plan, and provide support.
People who speak Spanish and want to quit smoking can call the Spanish-language quitline: 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569). For quitline coaches who speak English, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
Quit-smoking treatments may be free or reduced in price through insurance, health plans, or clinics.
State Medicaid programs cover quit-smoking treatments. While the coverage varies by state, all states cover some treatments for at least some Medicaid enrollees.
Medicare currently covers two quit attempts per year and up to four face-to-face counseling sessions per attempt.
*Tobacco Product Use and Cessation Indicators Among Adults – United States, 2018. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2019.
†Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2018.
Felicita smoked cigarettes and lost all her teeth by age 50. She didn’t know that smoking could harm her gums and teeth.
“I feel ashamed of myself, really. I feel like I destroyed my health and my appearance with cigarettes.”
