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Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States,
2001
MMWR Highlights
October 10, 2003 / Vol. 52 / No. 40
- In 2001, 46.2 million adults (22.8 percent) in the
United States were current smokers — 25.2 percent of men and 20.7 percent
of women.
- Among racial and ethnic groups, smoking prevalence
was highest among American Indians/Alaska Natives (32.7 percent) and
lowest among Hispanics (16.7 percent) and Asians (12.4 percent).
- Among income groups, smoking prevalence was higher
among adults living below the poverty level (31.4 percent) than those at
or above the poverty level (23.0 percent).
- Smoking prevalence was highest among those aged
18–24 (26.9 percent) and 25–44 (25.8 percent) and lowest among those aged
65 and over (10.1 percent).
- Among current adult smokers, 37.8 million (81.8
percent) smoked every day, and 8.4 million (18.2 percent) smoked some
days.
- An estimated 44.7 million adults were former smokers in 2001,
representing 49.2 percent of those who had ever smoked. An estimated 15.3
million adult smokers had stopped smoking for at least 1 day during the
preceding 12 months because they were trying to quit.
- By education level, adults who had earned a General
Educational Development (GED) diploma (47.8 percent) and those with a
grade 9–11 education (34.3 percent) had the highest prevalence of smoking;
those with master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees had the lowest
prevalence (9.5 percent).
- Smoking prevalence data from combined years
1965–1966 through 2000–2001 indicate a slow but steady decrease among both
blacks and whites.
- In 2000–2001, for the first time, smoking prevalence
among black men was similar to that among white men. Since 1970–1974,
prevalence has declined more rapidly among black men than among white men.
- In 2000-2001, smoking prevalence also declined more rapidly among
black women than white women. Since 1993–1995, prevalence among black
women has been lower, except during 1997 to 1999, when no difference was
observed. Before 1993–1995, current smoking prevalences among black and
white women generally were comparable, except during 1970–1974, when
prevalence among white women was lower.
- The overall decline in cigarette smoking prevalence
in the adult U.S. population is not occurring at a rate that will meet the
national health objective of 12 percent.
- In 2000, the Surgeon General concluded that the 2010
objective could be attained only if comprehensive approaches to tobacco
control were implemented. Sustaining or increasing implementation of
comprehensive tobacco-control programs to meet the CDC-recommended funding
levels are necessary to attain the 2010 national objective.
- Comprehensive programs that focus on reducing
tobacco use among those in different socioeconomic strata, racial/ethnic
populations, and educational levels could help reduce cigarette smoking
and tobacco use in general and reduce the extensive morbidity and
mortality and economic costs associated with tobacco use.
MMWR—Cigarette Smoking-Among Adults—United States, 2001
October 10, 2003 / Vol. 52 / No. 40
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