Tobacco use in New Mexico 2023

• In 2022, 15.0% of adults in New Mexico smoked. Nationally, adult smoking prevalence was 14.0%.1
• In 2021, 3.7% of high school students in New Mexico smoked cigarettes on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, youth smoking prevalence among high school students was 3.8%.2

• In 2022, 7.4% of adults in New Mexico used e-cigarettes. Nationally, adult e-cigarette use prevalence was 7.7%1
• In 2022, 3.2% of adults in New Mexico used smokeless tobacco some days or every day. Nationally, adult smokeless tobacco use prevalence was 3.4% 3
• In 2021, 25.4% of high school students in New Mexico used electronic vapor products on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, e-cigarette use prevalence among high school students was 18%.2
• In 2021, 2.4% of high school students in New Mexico used chewing tobacco, snuff or dip on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, smokeless tobacco use prevalence among high school students was 2.5%.2
• In 2021, 2.2% of high school students in New Mexico smoked cigars, cigarillos or little cigars on at least one day in the past 30 days. Nationally, cigar use prevalence among high school students was 3.1%.2

• New Mexico received $133.3 million (estimated) in revenue from tobacco settlement payments and taxes in fiscal year 2022.4
• Of this, the state allocated $5.7 million in state funds to tobacco prevention in fiscal year 2022, 24.9% of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual spending target.4
• Smoking-caused health care costs: $981 million per year.4
• Smoking-caused losses in productivity: $1.5 billion per year.5

Tobacco taxes

• New Mexico is ranked 19th in the U.S. for its cigarette tax of $2.00 per pack (enacted July 2019), 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.)6-8
• Little cigars are taxed at 10 cents per cigar. Roll-your-own tobacco is taxed at $2 per 1.8 ounces of tobacco. Bidis/kreteks are taxed at $2 per 20. Cigars are taxed at 25% of the product value not to exceed 50 cents per cigar. E-liquid is taxed at 12.5% of the product value. Closed-system e-cigarette cartridges are taxed at 50 cents per cartridge. All other tobacco products are taxed at 25% of the product value.6,7

Clean indoor air ordinances

• Smoking is prohibited in all government workplaces, private workplaces, schools, childcare facilities, restaurants, bars (allowed in cigar bars), retail stores and recreational/cultural facilities.6,7
• There are no smoking restrictions for casinos/gaming establishments.6,7
• E-cigarettes are included in the state’s definition of smoking.9
• The use of e-cigarettes is prohibited on school property and by students at school-sponsored activities.9

Licensing laws

• Retailers and wholesalers are required to obtain a license to sell tobacco products.10
• A license is required to sell e-cigarette products.9,10

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.6,7
• Sale clerks must restrict access to tobacco products prior to sale.6,7
• Minors are prohibited from buying e-cigarettes or nicotine liquid containers. Vending machine sales of these products are restricted to places inaccessible to persons under 21, and delivery sales of e-cigarettes require third-party age verification.9
• The sale of e-cigarettes that are “knowingly attractive to minors” is prohibited, including cartoon characters or mimicry of products primarily marketed towards minors.9

• The CDC estimates 46.7% of daily adult smokers in New Mexico quit smoking for one or more days in 2019.11
• In 2014, the Affordable Care Act required that Medicaid programs cover all tobacco cessation medications.7**
• New Mexico’s state quit line invests $6.7 per smoker, compared to the national median of $2.37.7
• New Mexico has a private insurance mandate provision for cessation.7

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, 2017.

2.         CDC, Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System, 2019.

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

4.         Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Broken Promises to Our Children: a State-by-State Look at the 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 20 Years Later FY2019, 2018.

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

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

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

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

9.         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.

10.       2020 N.M. Laws ch. 46 §§ 5(A); 6(A); and 7(A). https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/20%20Regular/final/SB0131.pdf. Accessed.

11.       CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System, 2017