Smoking and Tobacco

Is Cigarette Smoking Still a Problem in the US?

face of person lighting a cigarette Yes! Right now, over 45 million American adults, or about 19 percent, smoke cigarettes (CDC, 2011). Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US. It can cause health problems like cancer, heart disease and lung disease.

Many efforts have been made to educate Americans about the risks of smoking. Today, there are fewer smokers in our country than 30 years ago --or even 5 years ago (DHHS, 2012). However, the declining rates of tobacco use among teens and young adults have now stalled. More work needs to be done!

Who is at Risk for Smoking?

You may be more likely to smoke if you belong to certain groups.

Men (22 percent) are more likely to smoke than women (17 percent).
There are more smokers in the Midwest (22 percent) and the South (21 percent). Rates are the lowest in the West (16 percent).
If you did not finish high school you are more likely to smoke cigarettes than if you finished high school (34 percent vs. 24 percent).
If you are living below the poverty level, you are much more likely to smoke than if you are at or above the poverty level (29 percent vs. 18 percent).
You are more likely to smoke if you are between the ages of 18 and 64 than if you are 65 or older.
American Indians/Alaskan Natives have the highest rate of smoking (31 percent) and Asian Americans have the lowest rate of smoking (9 percent).

What are the Smoking Trends?

Smoking still causes many health problems for both smokers and non-smokers.

Smokers die on average 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers.
For each smoking death, there are 20 more people with a serious smoking-related illness.
Every day, almost 4,000 youth try smoking their first cigarette and about 1,000 go on to become daily smokers.
Three out of every four teen smokers will continue to smoke as adults.
Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer and heart disease in non-smokers.

How Much Does Smoking Cost?

The cost of smoking is greater than just the price of the pack. Cigarette smoking costs more than 193 billion dollars and secondhand smoke costs 10 billion dollars each year. These costs include:

being less productive at work
sick days
hospital stays
death.

Are People Quitting?

Smoking is still a problem because there are smokers who want to quit—and they can’t. It takes more than just willpower to quit. Almost 70 percent of smokers say they want to quit smoking. In 2010, about half of all smokers tried to quit with very few being successful.

It may be even harder to quit if you prefer menthol cigarettes. It is possible that menthol cigarettes are more addictive than non-menthol cigarettes. Studies have found a significant risk of relapse among menthol smokers. Drugs designed to help smokers quit may be less effective for those who prefer menthol cigarettes.

Does Secondhand Smoke Harm Kids?

Yes. There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke, especially for children. Secondhand smoke is the smoke given off by a cigarette and a smoker. It can slow the growth of a child’s lungs and cause other health problems. Secondhand smoke is extra dangerous for children because when they breathe it in, their growing bodies are flooded with poisons. Smoke exposure as a child can cause health problems in adulthood. Secondhand smoke also makes children sick with:

asthma
lung infections
ear infections
sudden infant death syndrome.

Smoking—It’s Still a Problem.

Smoking causes one out of every five deaths, but it doesn’t have to! Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death—as long as people are still smoking, smoking is still a problem.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged ≥ 18 Years—United States, 2005–2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2011;60(33):1207–12 [accessed 2012 Jan 24].

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2012

www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/adult_data/cig_smoking/index.htm

www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/index.htm

Hope Through Research - You Can Be Part of the Answer!

Many research studies are underway to help us learn about smoking cessation. Would you like to find out more about being part of this exciting research? Please visit the following links:

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Last Reviewed: Jun 12, 2012

Karen L Ahijevych, PhD, RN, FAAN
Professor at The College of Nursing
Professor at The College of Public Health
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
College of Nursing
The Ohio State University