AQI Detail Page
AQI 75: cigarette equivalent, interpretation, and what to do next
At AQI 75, a full day of exposure is roughly equivalent to smoking 1.06 cigarettes. The point of this page is not just the number. It is helping you decide how much of your routine should change.
AQI category
Moderate
PM2.5 estimate
23.4
µg/m³
Daily equivalent
1.06
cigarettes / 24h
If repeated daily
31.8
cigarettes / 30 days
What AQI 75 means
Sensitive groups may notice irritation with longer outdoor exposure or exercise.
Children, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with asthma, COPD, or heart disease should shorten heavy outdoor activity.
Exposure framing
1 hour: about 0.04 cigarettes.
2 hours: about 0.09 cigarettes.
24 hours: about 1.06 cigarettes.
7 repeated days: about 7.4 cigarettes.
Scenario guidance at AQI 75
These are the kinds of day-to-day decisions users commonly make from this reading.
Commute or errands
Use caution2 hours equals 0.09 cigarettes at AQI 75.
Limit extra walking time and keep a mask ready for transit platforms or traffic corridors.
Outdoor exercise
Use caution1 hour equals 0.04 cigarettes at AQI 75.
Reduce intensity, shorten the session, or move it to a cleaner time of day.
Kids, school, or playground time
Use caution3 hours equals 0.13 cigarettes at AQI 75.
Shorten outdoor time and watch for coughing, wheezing, or tiredness.
Sleeping with windows open
Use caution8 hours equals 0.35 cigarettes at AQI 75.
If the air smells smoky, close windows overnight and filter indoors instead.
Why the estimate is credible
The site first converts AQI into an estimated PM2.5 concentration and then applies Berkeley Earth's cigarette-equivalence framing.
The estimate is most useful for comparing air-quality dose across times, situations, and repeated days. It should not be treated as a literal smoking-equivalence medical claim.
View next
Commute exposure planner
Use AQI to decide whether a daily commute is routine, cautionary, or worth changing.
Outdoor exercise risk guide
Translate AQI into a clear decision for running, cycling, or training outside.
Kids and school exposure guide
Plan school runs, recess, and after-school time when children are more sensitive than adults.
City planning pages that pair with this AQI
Use these as repeat-visit guides when the same types of air-quality questions keep returning.
Los Angeles AQI planning guide
Interpret LA air quality for commuting, outdoor exercise, and smoke-season decisions.
San Francisco AQI planning guide
Use AQI to decide on transit, neighborhood differences, and wildfire smoke response in the Bay Area.
New York City AQI planning guide
Interpret AQI for street-level exposure, commuting, exercise, and occasional smoke events in NYC.