Data Sources and Definitions

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Adults

Prevalence of Smoking

Source of Data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  State-specific prevalence of current cigarette smoking among adults-United States, 2002.  Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 2004; 52:1277-80.  Current smokers are defined as adults aged 18+ who reported ever smoking at least 100 cigarettes and who currently smoke every day or some days.

For comparison purposes, the median for all states is presented.

Number of Smokers

Source of Data: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2002 (unpublished data).  Data are weighted to 2002 adult 18+ state population estimates generated from Claritas, a marketing information resources company.  Current smokers are defined as adults aged 18+ who reported ever smoking at least 100 cigarettes and who currently smoke every day or some days.

For comparison purposes, the total for all states is presented. 

Try to Quit

Source of Data: CDC.  State-specific prevalence of current cigarette smoking among adults-United States, 2002.  MMWR 2004; 52:1277-80. Among current smokers who smoke every day, attempt to quit is defined as those who had stopped smoking for 1 day or longer.

For comparison purposes, the median for all states is presented.

All

Smoking-Attributable Deaths

Source of Data: State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE). This data is for all persons in the state and comprised of the following three types of deaths:  1) smoking related disease for adults 35 years of age and older, 2) smoking related disease for infants, and 3) deaths from cigarette related fires. 

For comparison purposes, the total number of deaths from the following source is presented: CDC. Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Economic Costs-United States, 1995-1999. MMWR, 2002; 51:300-3.  This is comprised of the following four types of deaths:  1) smoking related disease for adults 35 years of age and older, 2) smoking related disease for infants, 3) deaths from cigarette related fires, and 4) secondhand smoke deaths.   

Youth

Prevalence of Smoking (Grades 9-12), Number of Smokers (Grades 9-12)

Source of Data: State specific data are from the Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) or Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), most recent year (unpublished and published data).  Data from surveys included in this report had an overall response rate of at least 60%.  Thus, the data were weighted and can be generalized to all high school students in the state.  Current smokers are defined as those students who reported smoking cigarettes on 1 or more of the past 30 days preceding the survey.   Estimates apply to youth in school in grades 9-12.

For comparison purposes for youth smoking prevalence, the national estimate from the 2002 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) is presented.  Source of Data: CDC.  Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students-United States, 2002.  MMWR, 2003; 52:1096-8.  Current smokers are defined as those students who reported smoking cigarettes on 1 or more of the past 30 days preceding the survey.   Estimates apply to youth in school in grades 9-12.

For comparison purposes for total number of smokers, the above referenced national prevalence estimate is multiplied against total school enrollment (grades 9, 10, 11, 12) in the 2001-2002 academic year from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Youth Projected to Start Smoking

Source of Data: The average prevalence of smoking among adults aged 18-30 years for each state from the 2001-2002 BRFSS was used to estimate the future prevalence of smoking during early adulthood for the birth cohorts currently aged 0-17 years of age.  The number of persons aged 0-17 years in each state was obtained from U.S. Census Bureau data (July 1, 2002 estimates).  The following source also provides a more complete description of methodology:  CDC.  Projected Smoking-Related Deaths Among Youth-United States.  MMWR, 1996; 45 (44):977-4.   

For comparison purposes, the total for all states is presented. 

Youth Projected to Die From Smoking

Source of Data: This measure is calculated from the estimates of Youth Projected to Start Smoking as well as estimates of premature deaths attributable to smoking among continuing smokers and among those who quit after age 35.  The following source also provides a more complete description of methodology: CDC.  Projected Smoking-Related Deaths Among Youth-United States.  MMWR, 1996; 45 (44):977-4.   

For comparison purposes, the total for all states is presented. 

Smoking Prevalence Among Adult Population Groups

Race/Ethnicity

Source of Data: CDC. BRFSS 2001-2002 (unpublished data).  Data are shown only for demographic groups with at least 50 respondents.  Readers should interpret demographic group estimates with caution, because the number of respondents, particularly among racial/ethnic subgroups, may be small.  

Education

Source of Data: CDC. BRFSS, 2002 (unpublished data).  Data on education are presented for persons aged 25 years or older.  

Household Income, Age

Source of Data: CDC.  BRFSS, 2002 (unpublished data). 

For comparison purposes, the median for all states is presented.

Note: there are a broad range of measures that reflect the impact of tobacco use.  Although prevalence of current cigarette smoking is presented, it is only one of many measures used to identify tobacco-related disparities. 

Percent of People Protected by Non-Smoking Policies

Worksite, Home

Source of Data:  Worksite and home data were calculated using Current Population Survey data from 1998-1999.  For worksites, the data were collected from self-respondents 15 years and older who reported having a worksite policy stating that smoking was not allowed in indoor public or common areas and work areas.  The following source also provides a more complete description of methodology:  Shopland D, Gerlach K, Burns D, Hartman A, Gibson J.  State specific trends in smoke-free workplace policy coverage: the current population survey tobacco use supplement, 1993 to 1999.  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2001; 43 (8): 680-6.

For homes, data were collected from self-respondents 15 years and older who reported having a rule that smoking was not allowed anywhere in their home. 

For comparison purposes, the prevalence for all states is presented.

Cigarette Price Per Pack, Medical & Productivity Costs Per Pack, & Cigarette Consumption

Cigarette Price Per Pack

Source of data: Orzechowski & Walker, Virginia.  “Tax Burden on Tobacco Volume 37, 2002”

For comparison purposes, the state average is presented.

Smoking Attributable Medical & Productivity Costs Per Pack

Source of data: CDC. “Tobacco Control State Highlights 2002: Impact and Opportunity.”

State cost per pack accounts for direct medical expenses and lost productivity expenses.  Direct medical expenses are updated from 1998 to 2002 dollars, and lost productivity costs are updated from 1999 to 2002 dollars, using the Medical Consumer Price Index and the Wage Consumer Price Index. 

For comparison purposes, the state average is presented.

Cigarette Consumption (Pack Sales)

Source of data: Orzechowski & Walker, Virginia. “Tax Burden on Tobacco Volume 37, 2002”  Cigarette consumption is the quantity of cigarettes consumed per person in 2002.  It is measured as total tax paid sales divided by the state’s total population using Census Bureau population numbers.

For comparison purposes, the national figure for 2002 is taken from Orzechowski & Walker (see above reference) and is calculated as the weighted average of all state estimates.

Medicaid Costs

Smoking-Attributable Medicaid Costs Per Pack, Smoking-Attributable Medicaid Costs Per Capita

Source of data: CDC. “Tobacco Control State Highlights 2002: Impact and Opportunity.”  Smoking attributable Medicaid costs are updated from 1998 to 2002 dollars, using the Medical Consumer Price Index.  2002 Census Bureau state population numbers for adults 18+ used for per capita estimates.

For comparison purposes, the state average of data is presented.

References

¹ CDC Annual smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and economic costs—United States, 1995–1999. MMWR 2002;51:300–3.

² US Department of Health and Human Services. Women and smoking: a Report of the Surgeon General. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 2001.

³ CDC. Cigarette smoking-attributable morbidity—United States, 2000. MMWR 2003;52:842–44.

⁴ CDC. Cigarette smoking among adults—United States, 2001. MMWR
2003;52:953–6.

⁵ CDC. Tobacco use among middle and high school students—United States, 2002. MMWR 2003;52:1096–8.

⁶ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. Conference edition; two volumes. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2000.

⁷ CDC. Cigarette smoking-attributable morbidity—United States, 2000. MMWR 2003;52:842–44.

⁸ Miller L, Zhang X, Novotny T, Rice D, Max W. State estimates of Medicaid expenditures attributable to cigarette smoking, fiscal year 1993. Public Health Reports 1998;113:140–51.

⁹ Farrelly, M.C., Pechacek, T.F., Chaloupka, F.J., 2004. The impact of tobacco control program expenditures on aggregate cigarette sales: 1981–2000. Journal of Health Economics 22, 843–859.

¹⁰ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs—August 1999. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1999.

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This page last reviewed September 30, 2004

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Office on Smoking and Health