North Carolina
A State-by-State Look at the 1998 Tobacco Settlement 27 Years Later
| FY2026 | FY2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| State Ranking | 48 | 28 |
| State Spending on Tobacco Prevention | $2.1 million | $13.6 million |
|
Percent of CDC Recommended Spending
($99.3 million) |
2.2% | 13.7% |
North Carolina's Tobacco Revenue, CDC Recommended Spending, State Spending and Tobacco Industry Marketing
Trend in Spending North Carolina Tobacco Prevention
| Tobacco's Toll in North Carolina (as of Dec. 15, 2025) | |
|---|---|
| Adults who smoke | 11.5% (1,016,300) |
| High school students who smoke | 3.9% (22,600) |
| High school students who use e-cigarettes | 21.4% |
| Deaths caused by smoking each year | 14,200 |
| Annual health care costs directly caused by smoking | $4.42 billion |
| Proportion of cancer deaths attributable to smoking | 32.2% |
| Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures | $727 per household |
| Estimated annual tobacco industry marketing in state | $429.6 million |
Last updated Dec. 15, 2025