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Neglected children, or children with absentee parents, are four times as likely to abuse drugs, drink, and smoke as children living with parents who were regularly present and who offered a structured lifestyle.
Doctors can have a major effect on young people. However, less than half of teenagers say their doctors have ever asked them if they smoked, or that they have been counseled not to smoke, even though most teen smokers said they would admit to smoking if asked.
Of special concern are studies that directly link smoking in adolescents to suicide attempts in this age group. Teens who smoke are more likely to attempt suicide than their non-smoking peers.
Gender, Age, and Ethnicity
| Age | Total | ||
| 18 - 24 years | 21.8% | ||
| 25 - 44 years | 24.0% | ||
| 45 - 64 years | 21.9% | ||
| 65 years and older | 9.5% | ||
| Source: CDC/MMWR Report 2010 | |||
While the number of adults over age 65 who smoke is lower than those in other age groups, older adults usually have smoked for a long time (about 40 years) and tend to be heavier smokers, according to the American Lung Association. Because of this, older smokers are more likely to have smoking-related illnesses.
Caucasian students (under age 18) are more likely to smoke than Hispanics and African-Americans. The rate of smoking is highest among people of mixed race, followed by American Indians and Alaskan natives. Asians have the lowest smoking rates.
Geography
In general, the rate of smoking is highest in the Midwest and South and lowest in the Northeast and West. Utah has the lowest smoking rate in the United States.
Educational Level
People who have not graduated from high school or received their General Education Development (GED) certificate tend to have higher smoking rates than those who attended college.
Higher rates of cigarette smoking have been reported among adults who have earned a GED and those with a grade 9 - 11 education. The lowest rates are seen among those with advanced graduate degrees.
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Review Date: 09/08/2010
Reviewed By: Reviewed by: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor
of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts
General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
