Drop in National Smoking Rates Stalls
Source: Washington Post, November 9, 2007
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that the national smoking rate has remained level for the third year in a row, stopping a steady decline enjoyed over the past few decades. This latest stagnation represents the longest period that smoking has not declined since the government started collecting smoking statistics 40 years ago, presenting an alarming picture of smoking patterns.
According to the CDC’s report, 20.8% of American adults smoke - 80% of whom smoke everyday. While this smoking rate declined 15% between 1997 and 2004, it has remained level ever since. Even more alarming, smoking rates among high school students have slightly increased in recent years after a decade of similarly steep decline.
Corinne Husten, head of epidemiology in the CDC’s Office of Smoking and Health, reasoned that a number of factors likely contributed to this trend. First, funding for a number of successful state and local anti-tobacco programs has seen cuts in recent years. Secondly, the cost of cigarettes has remained relatively unchanged – one of the strongest factors linked to whether people smoke, especially adolescents. Furthermore, cigarette companies have spent billions in recent years to market their products to the public and offset tax increases.
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