Don’t you hate it when you’re walking around town and you get hit with a cloud of smoke? Fortunately, cigarette use has dropped 7% in the last decade. It won’t happen as much, but it still does.
Some places have a higher rate of smokers. Though it has been on the decline since the turn of the millennia, smoking is still widespread. If you’re sensitive to second-hand smoke, you may want to avoid some of these states.
These are the smoking rates by state, from sixth to first most prevalent.
Alaska
14.5% of the adult population smokes. The lighter Alaskans carry with them is for more than just staying warm.
There are a reported 42.5 cases of lung cancer per 100,000 residents.
Louisiana
There are, annually, 22,000 deaths related to smoking in Louisiana. 15% of its population are smokers. Louisiana smokers spend nearly $2 billion annually on medical bills.
Tennessee
Tennessee’s population of smokers is 16 for every 100. They have the fifth highest rate of lung cancer in the country. The government does little to curb the dangerous habit; the excise tax is .6%.
Arkansas
Arkansas has one of the highest rates of smoking. Every 1 in 5 light up a cigarette habitually.
Despite their high rate of smoking, Arkansas has few cigarette-related medical claims. The population spends less than a billion dollars per year for this habit.
Kentucky
This state has the second largest smoking rate per person. A fourth of the people in Kentucky smoke regularly. That’s just about one per family.
Kentucky has an alarming rate of youth smokers. About 14% of its youngsters are addicted to nicotine-riddled cigarettes. A disappointing 40% high-schoolers have admitted to trying smoking at least once.
West Virginia
This state has a lot of smokers. Steer clear if you can’t handle a constant perfume of smoke.
Nearly 1 in 3 people smoke in West Virginia.
This is one of the few states where the female population of smokers outnumbers men. Women who smoke are a few percentage points more ubiquitous in West Virginia.
Roughly 9-10% of the adults report having some health issues. It’s the second highest state for lung cancer.
Lowest Smoking Rates by State
If you’re feeling a little noxious from all that smoke, there are some states that are less prone to smoking.
Utah and California have the lowest rates of smoking per head. Only about 6 out of 100 people in both states smoke cigarettes.
They have among the lowest rates of lung cancer in the country (the first and fourth).
Their state governments heavily regulate usage. Smoking has a high negative externality, so the government feels it’s necessary to tax smokers. Smokers pay around $2.00 per pack in excise taxation.
A lot of smokers have moved on to vaping. It’s a cleaner alternative to smoking. It has less of a burden on society and on the body.
Visiting a vapor shop and dropping the cigarettes is healthy and green. Residents of California and Utah are all about that stuff.
Smoked States
Smoking is on its way out of being mainstream cool. Cigarettes are going extinct. But there are some states that cling to their habitual use nicotine.
Alaska, Louisiana, and Tennessee are sixth, fifth, and fourth among smoking states. They each have under 20% of the population smoking.
Arkansas, Kentucky, and West Virginia are troubled by heavy smoking. Each with at least a fifth of their population addicted.
The two lowest smoking rates by state are California and Utah. Each only having 6 in 100 smokers.
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