In the John Oliver tobacco video, what percent of people in the United States smoke?

• A. 31 percent
• B. 18 percent
• C. 10 percent
• D. 5 percent

Answer: (B)

Understanding smoking prevalence means looking at the proportion of people who currently smoke. In public health terms, this is the percent of current smokers, often focusing on adults, not just anyone who has ever tried a cigarette.

The video states that about 18% of Americans smoke, which is about one in five adults. This level falls in the range commonly cited for U.S. adult smoking in recent years and matches the figure used in that clip to illustrate how widespread tobacco use still is. The other options are not consistent with that source: 31% would be unusually high for current smoking, while 10% and 5% would indicate a much lower rate than what the video presents.

So, 18% is the best answer because it directly reflects the statistic the video uses to describe how many Americans smoke.