Something to Smile About ~ Smoking in US at All Time Low

Something to smile about: smoking in the US reaches an all time low

The news is usually nothing but doom and gloom, but it’s not all bad! According to the CDC, smoking has dropped to an all-time low in the US, from 16.8% of adults in 2014 to 15.1% in 2014.

That 1.7% may not sound like much, but it actually adds up to approximately 5.5 million adults putting out their cigarettes. Now that’s something worth celebrating!

What has happened to the smoking rate?

In most years, we’re lucky to see a 1% drop. But 2015 was an exception. Kenneth Warner, professor of public health at the university of Michigan, says that “The trend of the last couple years is remarkable… We have not seen anything like this for a very long time.”

Why has smoking fallen?

It’s hard to say why more people than ever before are putting down their cigarettes. The FDA likes to claim that it’s a result of their stop smoking campaigns — and it’s true that they probably played a part.

Professor Warner has his own theory:  “It is possible that a significant number of smokers are getting off of cigarettes by using alternative nicotine sources like e-cigarettes… The bottom line on these numbers is that they are very encouraging”.

Has smoking fallen in other countries too?

Yes! The good news isn’t just confined to the United States. One researcher did a survey of almost 30,000 people in the European Union and analysed smoking statistics from across the continent. He estimated that a further six million Europeans have used e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking!

What does it mean for our health?

It’s a sad fact that around half of smokers die of smoking-related diseases. But there’s still hope for smokers! Smokers who quit before the age of 40 are 90% less likely to die of a smoking-related disease. We can safely say that the 5.5 million smokers who quit last year are going to have longer, healthier lives as a result of their decision 🙂

You can click on the infographic above for more information regarding this topic.

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