Smoking Rate Is Declining in U.S.

11/16/08 Posted in News  |  2 Comments

The percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes has fallen below 20 percent for the first time since at least the mid-1960s, according to a new report on MedicineNet.com.

The CDC says in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that the prevalence of smoking fell in 2007 to 19.8 percent, nearly a full percentage point from 20.8 percent in 2006.

Tom Glynn, PhD, director of International Cancer Control of the American Cancer Society, says the CDC report shows that major progress is being made in the government’s war on smoking, but hard battles still loom, according to the article.

The CDC says cigarette smoking prevalence has been dropping steadily among Americans 18 and older since it began keeping records in 1965, when 42.4 percent smoked. The proportion dropped below 30 percent for the first time in 1987, when 28.8 percent of Americans smoked.

In 2007, the CDC says 22.3 percent of adult males and 17.4 percent of adult women smoked. It says 19.8 percent of African-Americans smoked in 2007, and 21.4 percent of whites.

The CDC says 443,000 deaths annually are attributed to tobacco use.

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death among men and women, kills about 157,000 Americans a year. A greater number of people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined.

Trying to Quit Smoking

Progress would be better if more people were aware that their doctors could help and if they knew about a toll-free counseling “quit line” offering advice at 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669).

The report also says that:

• 43.4 million Americans are smokers.
• Smoking has declined over at least the past 40 years among all socio-demographic groups.
• Smoking prevalence varies according to education levels. Smokers who had a general education development diploma had the highest prevalence rate at 44 percent. People with nine to 11 years of education had a prevalence rate of 33.3 percent, compared with 11.4 percent of those with college degrees and 6.2 percent with graduate degrees.
• Mortality rates for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increased 8 percent from 2000 to 2005.
• COPD deaths among women rose to 60,229 annually between 2000 and 2004, up from 56,363 between 1997 and 2001. Among men, annual deaths remained about the same in both periods at 58,000. COPD, which is treatable, is caused mainly by cigarette smoking, but also occupational hazards, air pollution, and secondhand smoke.
• Exposure to tobacco smoke resulted in 5.1 million years of potential life lost during 2000-2004 and $96.8 billion in annual productivity losses ($64.2 billion for males, $32.6 billion for females.)

Smoking and Disease

The three leading causes of smoking-related death are lung cancer, heart disease, and COPD, according to the article. Between 30 percent and 40 percent of smokers try to quit annually, but the success rate is only one in five.

It’s unlikely that the U.S. will reach its goal of reducing smoking prevalence to 12 percent in the next two years, according to the article. But media campaigns, excise taxes, and rules implementing smoke-free environments are playing roles in reducing smoking.

Benefits for those who quit are significant, because stopping smoking drastically reduces risks of cardiovascular disease and COPD, according to the article.