Cigarette smoking rates vary widely across the U.S., from a low of less than 10% in the U.S. Virgin Islands to a high of almost 33% in Kentucky.
Overall, a new CDC report shows that an average of about one in four American adults is a smoker, but more than half of them tried to quit in the last year.
Researchers analyzed data from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a periodic nationwide survey of Americans, to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults, attempts to quit, and whether they got advice from their doctor to quit smoking in the last year.
The report shows that only the U.S. Virgin Islands have achieved the Healthy People 2010 objective of reducing the prevalence of current smokers to under 12%.
Cigarette Smoking Varies by State
The number of current smokers was highest in Kentucky (32.6%) followed by Alaska (29.4%), West Virginia (28.4), Tennessee (27.8%), and Indiana (27.7%).
States and U.S. territories with the lowest percentage of smokers were the U.S. Virgin Islands (9.5%), Utah (12.7%), Puerto Rico (13.2%) and California (16.4%).
The study defined current smokers as people who reported having smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and said they currently smoke every day or some days. Here's how all 50 states and three territories measured up:
State
Percentage of Adult Smokers
Alabama
24.4%
Alaska
29.4%
Arizona
23.5%
Arkansas
26.3%
California
16.4%
Colorado
20.4%
Connecticut
19.5%
Delaware
24.7%
District of Columbia
20.4%
Florida
22.1%
Georgia
23.3%
Hawaii
21.1%
Idaho
20.6%
Illinois
22.9%
Indiana
27.7%
Iowa
23.1%
Kansas
22.1%
Kentucky
32.6%
Louisiana
23.9%
Maine
23.6%
Maryland
22.0%
Massachusetts
19.0%
Michigan
24.2%
Minnesota
21.7%
Mississippi
27.4%
Missouri
26.6%
Montana
21.3%
Nebraska
22.8%
Nevada
26.0%
New Hampshire
23.2%
New Jersey
19.1%
New Mexico
21.2%
New York
22.4%
North Carolina
26.4%
North Dakota
21.5%
Ohio
26.6%
Oklahoma
26.7%
Oregon
22.4%
Pennsylvania
24.6%
Rhode Island
22.5%
South Carolina
26.6%
South Dakota
22.6%
Tennessee
27.8%
Texas
22.9%
Utah
12.7%
Vermont
21.2%
Virginia
24.6%
Washington
21.5%
West Virginia
28.4%
Wisconsin
23.4%
Wyoming
23.7%
US Territories:
Guam
32.1%
Puerto Rico
13.2%
U.S. Virgin Islands
9.5%
Most Smokers Try to Quit
The survey showed an average of 52% of smokers tried to quit during the previous year, which is up 7% from the 45% reported in 1996.
Researchers say that increase may reflect a decreased acceptability of smoking, an increase in clean-indoor-air laws and policies, and higher taxes implemented in some states.
Among the residents of the 23 states that were asked whether a doctor had given them advice to quit smoking, an average of 72% had been advised to stop smoking.
Overall, a new CDC report shows that an average of about one in four American adults is a smoker, but more than half of them tried to quit in the last year.
Researchers analyzed data from the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a periodic nationwide survey of Americans, to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults, attempts to quit, and whether they got advice from their doctor to quit smoking in the last year.
The report shows that only the U.S. Virgin Islands have achieved the Healthy People 2010 objective of reducing the prevalence of current smokers to under 12%.
Cigarette Smoking Varies by State
The number of current smokers was highest in Kentucky (32.6%) followed by Alaska (29.4%), West Virginia (28.4), Tennessee (27.8%), and Indiana (27.7%).
States and U.S. territories with the lowest percentage of smokers were the U.S. Virgin Islands (9.5%), Utah (12.7%), Puerto Rico (13.2%) and California (16.4%).
The study defined current smokers as people who reported having smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and said they currently smoke every day or some days. Here's how all 50 states and three territories measured up:
State
Percentage of Adult Smokers
Alabama
24.4%
Alaska
29.4%
Arizona
23.5%
Arkansas
26.3%
California
16.4%
Colorado
20.4%
Connecticut
19.5%
Delaware
24.7%
District of Columbia
20.4%
Florida
22.1%
Georgia
23.3%
Hawaii
21.1%
Idaho
20.6%
Illinois
22.9%
Indiana
27.7%
Iowa
23.1%
Kansas
22.1%
Kentucky
32.6%
Louisiana
23.9%
Maine
23.6%
Maryland
22.0%
Massachusetts
19.0%
Michigan
24.2%
Minnesota
21.7%
Mississippi
27.4%
Missouri
26.6%
Montana
21.3%
Nebraska
22.8%
Nevada
26.0%
New Hampshire
23.2%
New Jersey
19.1%
New Mexico
21.2%
New York
22.4%
North Carolina
26.4%
North Dakota
21.5%
Ohio
26.6%
Oklahoma
26.7%
Oregon
22.4%
Pennsylvania
24.6%
Rhode Island
22.5%
South Carolina
26.6%
South Dakota
22.6%
Tennessee
27.8%
Texas
22.9%
Utah
12.7%
Vermont
21.2%
Virginia
24.6%
Washington
21.5%
West Virginia
28.4%
Wisconsin
23.4%
Wyoming
23.7%
US Territories:
Guam
32.1%
Puerto Rico
13.2%
U.S. Virgin Islands
9.5%
Most Smokers Try to Quit
The survey showed an average of 52% of smokers tried to quit during the previous year, which is up 7% from the 45% reported in 1996.
Researchers say that increase may reflect a decreased acceptability of smoking, an increase in clean-indoor-air laws and policies, and higher taxes implemented in some states.
Among the residents of the 23 states that were asked whether a doctor had given them advice to quit smoking, an average of 72% had been advised to stop smoking.
