Overall, 19% of U.S. adults described themselves as smokers in 2011, down just a hair from 19.3% in 2010, but among those who self-described as daily or heavy smokers, the proportion who said they smoked 30 or more cigarettes a day decreased by more than 25% since 2005 (12.6% to 9.1%).
State-level funding for tobacco-control programs fell well short of CDC recommendations, as described in the November 9 issue of MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
"Despite increases in excise tax revenue, state funding for tobacco control programs has actually decreased during the past 5 years," reported Israel Agaku, DMD, of the CDC Office on Smoking and Health in Atlanta, and colleagues.
"Full implementation of comprehensive tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended funding levels might result in a substantial reduction in tobacco-related disease and death and billions of dollars in savings from averted medical costs and lost productivity," they said.
Coinciding with the 37th annual Great American Smokeout on Nov. 15, the report emphasized the ongoing health and economic burdens of smoking: 443,000 deaths annually as a result of smoking-related illness; $96 billion in direct medical expenses; and $97 billion in lost productivity.
Data from the CDC's 2011 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provided the basis for the report. Involving a sample of 33,014 adults, the NHIS showed no significant difference in smoking prevalence between 2010 and 2011. Smokers were defined as individuals who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetimes and continued to smoke every day or on some days.
Of the estimated 43.8 million smokers in 2011, 34.1 million (77.8%) smoked every day. The 19% total prevalence included 21.6% of men and 16.5% of women. Smoking prevalence was highest among non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives (31.5%) and among people ages 25 to 44 (22.1%) and lowest among non-Hispanic Asians (9.9%) and adults ≥65 (7.9%).
From 2005 to 2011, the largest decline in current smoking occurred among adults 18 to 24 (24.4% to 18.9%, P<0.05). Among self-reported daily smokers, the mean number of cigarettes decreased from 16.7 in 2005 to 15.1 in 2011 (P<0.05).
More than half (51.8%) of smokers and those who had quit in the past year had attempted to quit for more than 1 day during the past year.
Despite some evidence of progress toward tobacco control, smoking rates remained well above the 12% target set by the HHS Healthy People 2020 program.
For fiscal year 2011, only two states funded tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended levels, Agaku and co-authors noted. Funding was less than 25% of recommended levels in 27 states.
A summary of the report included the public health implications: "To meet the Healthy People 2020 target for smoking among adults, effective interventions need to be continued or augmented, such as a combination of smoke-free laws, tobacco price increases, access to tobacco cessation treatments and services, and anti-tobacco media campaigns featuring graphic personal stories on the adverse health impact of smoking."
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Primary source: MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report
Source reference:
Agaku I, et al "Current cigarette smoking among adults - United States, 2011" MMWR 2012; 61: 889-894.
Source reference:
Agaku I, et al "Current cigarette smoking among adults - United States, 2011" MMWR 2012; 61: 889-894.
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