Tobacco use in Wyoming 2023

• In 2022, 15.5% of adults smoked. Nationally, the adult smoking prevalence was 14.0%.1
• In 2015, 15.7% of high school students in Wyoming smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days.

• In 2022, 8.3% of adults in Wyoming used e-cigarettes. Nationally, adult e-cigarette use prevalence was 7.7%.1
• In 2022, 7.8% of adults in Wyoming used smokeless tobacco every day or some days. 1
• In 2015, 29.6% of high school students in Wyoming used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days.2

• Wyoming received $38.4 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2023.3
• Of this, the state allocated $2.5 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2023 - 29% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target.3
• Smoking-caused health care costs: $300 million per year.3
• Smoking-caused losses in productivity: $508.6 million per year.4

Tobacco taxes

• Wyoming is ranked 44th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of 60 cents per pack (enacted July 2003), compared to the national average of $1.93. (New York has the highest tax at $5.35 and Missouri has the lowest at 17 cents.)5-7
• Moist snuff is taxed at 60 cents for up to an ounce and a proportionate rate on any fractional parts more than an ounce.
• All other cigars, snuff and other tobacco products are taxed at 20% of the wholesale purchase price.5,6

Clean indoor air ordinances

• Smoking restrictions are required in government workplaces.5,6
• There are no smoking restrictions for private workplaces, schools, childcare facilities, restaurants, bars, casinos/gaming establishments, retail stores and recreational/cultural facilities.5,6
• E-cigarette use is prohibited in child care facilities when children are present.8

Licensing laws

• Wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products. Retailers may be required to obtain a local license to sell tobacco products.5
• A retail license or permit is not required to sell e-cigarettes.8

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.5
• Minors are prohibited from buying e-cigarettes.5
• Self-service displays and vending machine sales of e-cigarettes are restricted to locations inaccessible to persons under 21.9
• Remote sales of e-cigarettes require third-party age verification and signature of a person at least 21 years old upon receipt.9

• The CDC estimates 46.1% of daily adult smokers in Wyoming quit smoking for one or more days in 2019.9
• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all tobacco cessation medications. However, there is not yet evidence that the Wyoming Medicaid program has complied with this requirement regarding NRT nasal spray and NRT inhaler.6**
• Wyoming’s state quit line invests $6.37 per smoker, compared to the national median of $2.37.6
• Wyoming does not have a private insurance mandate provision for cessation.6

Updated June 2023

* 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.

1.         CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2019.

2.         CDC, Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System, 2015.

3.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Broken Promises to Our Children: a State-by-State Look at the 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 22 Years Later FY2021, 2020.

4.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Toll of Tobacco in the United States.

5.         American Lung Association, State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI).

6.         American Lung Association, State of Tobacco Control, 2021.

7.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. State Cigarette Excise Tax Rates & Rankings. https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0097.pdf. Accessed October 4th, 2023.

8.         Public Health Law Center. U.S. E-Cigarette Regulation: 50-State Review. http://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/us-e-cigarette-regulations-50-state-review. Accessed October 4th, 2023.

9.         CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System, 2021.