African American Tobacco Influence
Contrary to popular social belief, it is NOT illegal to smoke tobacco products at any age. However, the SALE of tobacco products is highly regulated with legal legislation.
Demographics
Smokers by age
"Each day, approximately 6,000 young persons try their first cigarette and approximately 3,000 become daily smokers."
12.8 percent middle school students reported using some form of tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless, cigars, pipes) in the past month. Current cigarette use among middle school students was 9.2 percent. The rate of smoking among middle school students by race/ethnic groups was relatively equal.
More than one-third (34.8 percent) of high school students reported using some form of tobacco in the past month. More than a quarter …show more content…
(28.4 percent) of high school students were current cigarette smokers, with male and female students smoking at equal rates - 28.7 and 28.2 percent respectively. Current cigarette smoking prevalence use by race/ethnic groups was higher among Caucasian high school students, followed by Latino, and African American students.
Smokers by gender
Currently about 22 percent of women 18 years and older are smoking. The gap in smoking prevalence between men and women has narrowed dramatically in recent years. Although male smoking prevalence dropped 24 percentage points between 1965 and 1993, the prevalence of female smoking dropped only 11 percentage points during the same period. Women are beginning to smoke at younger ages.
Smokers by ethnicity/race
48 million adult smokers in the United States.
There are approximately 31.3 million Hispanic Americans living in the United States, comprising 11.2 percent of the total population.
Hispanics are less likely to be smokers (20.4 percent) than non-Hispanic whites (25.3 percent) and African Americans (26.7 percent). Smoking prevalence remained at the highest among American Indians/Alaska Natives at 40 percent in 1998. As smoking has declined among the white non-Hispanic population, tobacco companies have targeted both African Americans and Hispanics, Although African Americans smoke fewer cigarettes, on average, they tend to smoke brands with higher nicotine and tar levels. African Americans are also more likely to smoke mentholated …show more content…
cigarettes.
Asians are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, nearly tripling in size from 1980 to 2000. While in the general population smoking among women decreases with age, smoking rates among Asian American and Pacific Islander women increase with age.
American Indian and Alaska Native lands are sovereign nations and are not subject to state laws prohibiting the sale and promotion of tobacco products to minors.
As a result, American Indian and Alaska Native youth have access to tobacco products at a very young age.
Smokers and education
Adults with 16 or more years of education had the lowest smoking prevalence. Adults with 9 to 11 years of education had higher smoking prevalence compared to adults with fewer or more years of education. The more formal education a woman receives, the less likely she is to be a smoker. In 1995, 40 percent of women between the ages of 25 and 44 who did not finish high school were smokers; .
Smokers by socio-economic status
Smoking prevalence was higher among adults living below the poverty level (32.3 percent) than those living at or above the poverty level (23.5 percent).
Smokers by states
The states with the highest current smoking prevalence among adults were Nevada, Kentucky and Ohio.
The lowest smoking prevalence rates among adults were found in Utah, followed by Hawaii, California, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
Economy
It is no secret that stress is a major factor in smoking behavior.
Two-thirds of smokers say this stress has had an effect on their smoking behavior.
The data indicates that stress over the economy is causing some smokers to delay attempts to quit, increase the number of cigarettes they are smoking, and/or switch to a less-expensive brand instead of quitting.
In addition, the survey found that seven percent of stressed-out smokers who had quit are now smoking again, while nine percent of former smokers said the financial situation had tempted them to start smoking again.
Specific economic events
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations projects that world tobacco leaf production will reach 7.1 million tonnes by 2011, although tobacco leaf production in developed nations including the U.S. will fall.
Demographics
Smokers by age
"Each day, approximately 6,000 young persons try their first cigarette and approximately 3,000 become daily smokers."
12.8 percent middle school students reported using some form of tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless, cigars, pipes) in the past month. Current cigarette use among middle school students was 9.2 percent. The rate of smoking among middle school students by race/ethnic groups was relatively equal.
More than one-third (34.8 percent) of high school students reported using some form of tobacco in the past month. More than a quarter …show more content…
(28.4 percent) of high school students were current cigarette smokers, with male and female students smoking at equal rates - 28.7 and 28.2 percent respectively. Current cigarette smoking prevalence use by race/ethnic groups was higher among Caucasian high school students, followed by Latino, and African American students.
Smokers by gender
Currently about 22 percent of women 18 years and older are smoking. The gap in smoking prevalence between men and women has narrowed dramatically in recent years. Although male smoking prevalence dropped 24 percentage points between 1965 and 1993, the prevalence of female smoking dropped only 11 percentage points during the same period. Women are beginning to smoke at younger ages.
Smokers by ethnicity/race
48 million adult smokers in the United States.
There are approximately 31.3 million Hispanic Americans living in the United States, comprising 11.2 percent of the total population.
Hispanics are less likely to be smokers (20.4 percent) than non-Hispanic whites (25.3 percent) and African Americans (26.7 percent). Smoking prevalence remained at the highest among American Indians/Alaska Natives at 40 percent in 1998. As smoking has declined among the white non-Hispanic population, tobacco companies have targeted both African Americans and Hispanics, Although African Americans smoke fewer cigarettes, on average, they tend to smoke brands with higher nicotine and tar levels. African Americans are also more likely to smoke mentholated …show more content…
cigarettes.
Asians are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, nearly tripling in size from 1980 to 2000. While in the general population smoking among women decreases with age, smoking rates among Asian American and Pacific Islander women increase with age.
American Indian and Alaska Native lands are sovereign nations and are not subject to state laws prohibiting the sale and promotion of tobacco products to minors.
As a result, American Indian and Alaska Native youth have access to tobacco products at a very young age.
Smokers and education
Adults with 16 or more years of education had the lowest smoking prevalence. Adults with 9 to 11 years of education had higher smoking prevalence compared to adults with fewer or more years of education. The more formal education a woman receives, the less likely she is to be a smoker. In 1995, 40 percent of women between the ages of 25 and 44 who did not finish high school were smokers; .
Smokers by socio-economic status
Smoking prevalence was higher among adults living below the poverty level (32.3 percent) than those living at or above the poverty level (23.5 percent).
Smokers by states
The states with the highest current smoking prevalence among adults were Nevada, Kentucky and Ohio.
The lowest smoking prevalence rates among adults were found in Utah, followed by Hawaii, California, Massachusetts and Minnesota.
Economy
It is no secret that stress is a major factor in smoking behavior.
Two-thirds of smokers say this stress has had an effect on their smoking behavior.
The data indicates that stress over the economy is causing some smokers to delay attempts to quit, increase the number of cigarettes they are smoking, and/or switch to a less-expensive brand instead of quitting.
In addition, the survey found that seven percent of stressed-out smokers who had quit are now smoking again, while nine percent of former smokers said the financial situation had tempted them to start smoking again.
Specific economic events
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations projects that world tobacco leaf production will reach 7.1 million tonnes by 2011, although tobacco leaf production in developed nations including the U.S. will fall.