Recent Literature on Commercial Tobacco Use and COVID-19: Ongoing Implications for Tobacco Control Professionals

Despite the World Health Organization’s May 2023 declaration that COVID-19 no longer is a global health emergency, COVID-19 still disproportionately impacts individuals who use tobacco products, and the toll is worse for people with low SES characteristics. Low SES populations exhibit a higher prevalence of tobacco use, a heightened susceptibility to contracting COVID-19, and a greater burden of adverse health outcomes related to both COVID-19 and tobacco use.

This 2-page guide presents research published in the past year investigating the relationship between commercial tobacco use and Covid-19 and offers guidance on post-pandemic implications for working with populations with low SES characteristics. It explores how people who use tobacco may alter their behavior during financial hardships, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 symptoms on those who use tobacco, the evolution of tobacco cessation services during the pandemic, and effectively tailoring communications about quitting tobacco amid the threat of other health risks.