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MMWR Highlights
Prevalence of Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults and Changes in
Prevalence of Current and Some Day Smoking — United States, 1996–2001
- In 2001, adult current smoking prevalence ranged from
13.3%–30.9%, (median 23.4%) for the states and the District of Columbia. Overall,
from 1996–2001, no change in the prevalence of current smoking was noted for 41
states and the District of Columbia.
- Prevalence
of current smoking for the three territories ranged from 9.8% to 31.4%.
Prevalence was 9.8% in the
Virgin Islands, 12.5% in Puerto Rico and 31.4% in Guam.
- There were
significant sex differences in smoking prevalence for 15 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands, with the rates being higher for men than for women. The median
prevalence of cigarette smoking was 25.5% among men (range: 14.6%–31.7%) and
21.5% among women (range: 12.1%–30.1%).
- Cigarette
smoking prevalence was highest in Kentucky (30.9%), Oklahoma
(28.8%), West Virginia (28.2%), Ohio (27.7%), Indiana (27.5%), Nevada (27%),
South Carolina (26.2%), and Alaska (26.1%).
- Cigarette
smoking prevalence was lowest in Utah (13.3%), California (17.2%),
Massachusetts (19.7%), Idaho (19.7%), Nebraska (20.4%), Oregon (20.5%), Hawaii
(20.6%), Connecticut (20.8%), and the District of Columbia (20.8%).
- A change
in current smoking prevalence from 1996 through 2001 was noted in nine states.
Among the nine states for which changes in current smoking prevalence were
found, Georgia showed a linear increase; Tennessee and Utah showed linear
decreases, Hawaii experienced a non-linear decrease, Oklahoma experienced a
non-linear increase, Minnesota and New Jersey experienced falling smoking
prevalence and then increases, and South Dakota experienced an increase followed
by a steady decline.
- The
pattern in North Dakota was
more complex: observed rates showed a decrease from 1996 to 1998 followed by an
increase through 2000 and a decline in 2001.
- Among the
50 states and the District
of Columbia, the proportion of some day smokers among current smokers ranged
from 15.2% (in Kentucky) to 41.2% (in the District of Columbia); the median was
24%.
- Between
1996 and 2001, the prevalence of current smoking was relatively stable in 41
states and the District of
Columbia while the proportion of current smokers who were some day smokers
increased significantly in 31 of those states and the District of Columbia.
- Analysis of the combined data for 1996 through 2001 for all states
indicated that the proportion of some day smokers among current smokers
- was
slightly higher among men (22.0% [21.8–22.7%] than women (21.1% [20.7–21.5%].
- decreased
with age from 18–24 to 45-64. Those 18–24 years had a prevalence of 28.7.%
[27.7-29.7], those 25– 44 years, 22.1% [21–22.5], and those 45–64 years,
17.6% [17.1–18.1]. Prevalence among those 65+ years was 20.3% [19.3–21.2].
- was higher
among non-Hispanic blacks with prevalence of 26.9% [25.9–27.9%], and Hispanics
who showed prevalence of 38.1% [36.5–39.8%], than non-Hispanic whites with
prevalence of 18.7% [18.4–19.0%].
- was
highest among those smokers having obtained a college education , 31.7%
[30.9-32.5%], followed by those who completed <=8 years of education (24.2%
[22.4-26.1%], with those who had at least some college education showing a
prevalence of 23.2% [22.7-23.8%].
- The patterns for sex, age, race, and ethnicity were
generally the same across each state and the District of Columbia, regardless of
whether the overall proportion of some day smokers among current smokers had
increased in the state.
- Factors that may have contributed to the shift in
some day smoking include increased retail price of cigarettes and smoking bans
in public places.
- Data suggest that reductions in smoking do not
reduce individual risk. Efforts to encourage complete cessation of smoking must
be a priority for state and national programs.
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