Free AQI to Cigarette Calculator

Use this AQI to Cigarettes Calculator to see how many cigarettes your daily air pollution equals, based on U.S. AQI and PM2.5 levels.

Your exposure

0 500
1h 72h
Estimated PM2.5

0 g/m³

Derived from AQI using EPA breakpoints.

Cigarette equivalent

0

≈ 0 packs

Notes
  • This tool uses U.S. EPA PM2.5 AQI breakpoints (0–500 AQI).
  • Rule-of-thumb conversion: 22 μg/m³ over 24 hours 1 cigarette.
  • Estimates only; individual risk varies. For health advice, consult official guidance.

AQI to Cigarettes Calculator

Have you ever wondered how harmful the air you breathe really is? This AQI to Cigarettes Calculator helps you estimate how many cigarettes a day your citys air pollution is equivalent to, based on scientific data linking PM2.5 exposure to cigarette smoke.

What Is the AQI to Cigarette Conversion?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures how clean or polluted the air is. Studies from Berkeley Earth and other scientific organizations have shown that breathing high levels of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) can have health effects similar to smoking cigarettes.

According to research, 1 cigarette ≈ breathing 22 µg/m³ of PM2.5 for one day. Using this relationship, we can estimate how many “cigarette equivalents” you inhale daily based on your AQI level.

How the Calculator Works

Step 1 — Convert AQI to PM2.5

The Air Quality Index (AQI) tells us how polluted the air is. To find the actual fine particle level (PM2.5), we use the U.S. EPA’s scale:

 PM2.5 (g/m³) ≈ (AQI ÷ 2)

Example: If your AQI = 180 PM2.5 90 µg/m³.

Step 2 Convert PM2.5 to Cigarette Equivalents

According to Berkeley Earth’s study, breathing 22 g/m³ of PM2.5 for one day equals smoking about 1 cigarette.

So, the formula is simple:

 Cigarettes per day = PM2.5 ÷ 22

Example: PM2.5 = 90 90 ÷ 22 ≈ 4 cigarettes per day

That means living in air with AQI 180 is roughly like smoking 4 cigarettes a day.

Why This Matters

Long-term exposure to high PM2.5 levels increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and premature death. According to the State of Global Air Report, air pollution is one of the leading environmental risk factors worldwide. Similarly, The Lancet highlights the global mortality burden caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Disclaimer: This calculator provides an approximate health equivalence between air pollution and cigarette exposure. It is for informational purposes only and not medical advice.