Tobacco and nicotine use is making a comeback. New data from Brightfield Group’s Q1 2025 Wellness Survey shows that 28% of U.S. consumers reported using tobacco or nicotine products in the past six months—a noticeable increase from 20% incidence just a year prior. The data suggests this elevated usage isn't a fleeting blip, but rather a sustained pattern. Tobacco/Nicotine usage began to grow in Q3 2024 data and has held steady through the start of 2025.
The uptick in consumer survey data is reinforced by social listening data, which shows that online discussion about tobacco and nicotine products began rising again in May 2024, after an earlier lull, and has remained elevated ever since. In the sections that follow, we’ll explore which demographics are driving this growth, how usage habits are shifting across age groups, and why some consumers—especially younger adults—are turning to tobacco and nicotine in place of alcohol.
This elevated usage of nicotine and tobacco in survey data coincided with several demographic shifts. Growth in Q3 2024 was largely driven by increased usage amongst Gen X survey respondents, but more recently nicotine products have been gaining traction with young adults. Gen Z showed a spike in usage in Q1 2025, jumping from 10% of all tobacco consumers to 15%. This shift in age groups was also accompanied by a geographic change, with category consumers moving away from urban centers and into suburban areas according to Q1 data.
However, the ways in which the groups are consumer tobacco also vary. Gen X consumers primarily stick with cigarettes and show less change in usage. In contrast, Gen Z is experimenting more—using a wider variety of formats, and reporting increased overall consumption. This group is also more likely to use cannabis or coffee when their preferred nicotine option isn't available, highlighting a more flexible, poly-substance mindset.
One of the more revealing insights from the Q1 2025 survey is the role of tobacco as a substitute for alcohol, especially among Millennials. Among respondents who reported using both alcohol and tobacco, 64% said they were intentionally reducing their alcohol consumption, and about 25% cited tobacco as a direct substitute—though it was not the top replacement.
The numbers are clear: tobacco and nicotine use is not only rising, but evolving. In just one year, reported usage jumped from 20% to 28% of consumers—a striking 40% increase in incidence. Gen Z’s growing share of users—from 10% to 15% in just one quarter—signals that this isn't a return to old habits, but a reshaping of them. Formats are diversifying, motivations are shifting, and substances like nicotine are stepping into roles previously dominated by alcohol.
This isn’t just a behavioral blip—it’s a realignment. As tobacco/nicotine products become part of a broader ecosystem of mood and energy management, brands and analysts alike will need to pay attention not just to who is using, but how and why. The future of tobacco/nicotine may not look like its past—but it’s undeniably part of the present.
Updated: 04/16/2025