| U.S. Smoking Statistics |
Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. More than 400,000 Americans die each year from tobacco-related disease.
Someone dies from smoking every 72 seconds.
Smoking causes more deaths than alcohol, AIDS, illegal drugs, car crashes, fires, murders, and suicides combined.
In the United States, an estimated 25.9 million men (27.1 percent) and 22.8 million women (22.2 percent) are smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke. About 4.1 million teenagers ages 12 through 17 are smokers. The latest estimates for persons age 18 and older show...
- Among non-Hispanic whites, 26.5 percent of men and 23.6 percent of women smoke.
- Among non-Hispanic blacks, 29.0 percent of men and 21.3 percent of women smoke.
- Among Hispanics, 24.7 percent of men and 13.3 percent of women smoke.
- Among Asians / Pacific Islanders, 17.9 percent of men and 9.9 percent of women smoke.
- Among American Indians/Alaska Natives, 41.7 percent of men and 38.1 percent of women smoke.
Smokers get sick more often! A MARS 2003 otc/drc study showed the following results:
29% of smokers had difficulty sleeping, compared with 3% of the general population.
28% of smokers suffer sinus congestion/headaches regularly, compared with 8% of the general population.
33% of smokers have abnormally high blood pressure, compared with 15% of the general population.
28% of smokers suffer colds and cough regularly, compared with 7% of the general population.
21% of smokers suffer migraine headaches, compared with 4% of the general population.
34% of smokers suffer disabling fatigue, compared with 2% of the general population.
Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher among those with 9-11 years of education (37.4 percent) compared with those with more than 16 years of education (11.6 percent). It's highest among persons living below the poverty level (33.3 percent).
The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse shows that, during 1988-96 among persons 12-17 years old, first-time use increased by 30 percent and first daily use increased by 50 percent. More than 6,000 people under age 18 try a cigarette each day, and each day more than 3,000 persons under age 18 become daily smokers. If trends continue, about 5 million of these people will eventually die from a disease attributed to smoking.
* National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 1998, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics
As many as 75 percent of the cases of coronary heart disease may be due to cigarette smoking. Estimates are that about 100,000 people die each year from coronary heart diseases that results from smoking.
About 43 percent of American children ages 2-11 are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home. Studies have shown that children (especially infants) of smoking parents have more lung illnesses, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and can develop asthma.
The federal Office on Smoking and Health estimates that 3,000 young people begin smoking every day.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 90 percent of smokers begin tobacco use before age 20; 50 percent of smokers begin tobacco use by age 14; and 25 percent begin their smoking addiction by age 12 (the 6th grade).
More than 145,000 women die every year from smoking-related diseases.
More than four in five smokers say they want to quit. Each year about 1.3 million smokers quit successfully. With good smoking cessation programs, 20 to 40 percent of participants are able to quit smoking and stay off cigarettes for at least one year.
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