People in the US South and Midwest are more likely to smoke than in other parts of the country. Photo credit: Susanne Nilsson, Creative Commons
A recent report indicates that individuals residing in 12 states located in the South and Midwest regions of the US are more inclined to smoke and engage in higher smoking rates compared to those in other parts of the country. Despite constituting around 21% of the total US population, these states account for approximately 28% of the country's smokers. The prevalence of smoking in these states is approximately 50% higher than in the rest of the US.
On average, individuals in these states consume around 53 packs of cigarettes per year, whereas those in other states consume an average of 29 packs annually. This results in a difference of roughly 500 cigarettes per person each year. Approximately 19% of adults in these states are smokers, in contrast to about 13% of adults in other states.
A similar trend is observed among young adults, with roughly 11% of individuals under 25 in these states being smokers, compared to less than 8% in other states. Teenagers in these states also exhibit higher rates of smoking.
This pattern of higher smoking prevalence in the 12 states has persisted consistently over the past five years, as reported by Truth Initiative. The organization attributes much of this disparity to the relatively weaker local policies on tobacco prevention and cessation in these states, which are influenced by the tobacco industry and lack sufficient political will from decision-makers.
For instance, numerous local governments have enacted laws restricting the sale of flavored tobacco, but only three of these jurisdictions are located within the 12 states with higher smoking prevalence.