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Cigarette use declines; smokeless tobacco use remains unchanged
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While the prevalence of cigarette smoking decreased significantly across 26 states between 2011 and 2013, smokeless tobacco use decreased in only two states and increased in four states, according to data published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Moreover, concurrent use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco was significantly increased in Delaware, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and West Virginia.
Kimberly Nguyen, MS, of the Office on Smoking and Health of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the CDC, and colleagues assessed data gathered between 2011 and 2013 from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years and older assessed the prevalence of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use.
Compared with 11.8% of current cigarette smokers in Utah and 29% of current cigarette smokers in Kentucky during 2011, the percentage during 2013 ranged from 10.3% in Utah and 27.3% in West Virginia. Twenty-six states showed a significant decline in current cigarette smoking during the period.
Compared with 1.4% of California and Rhode Island residents and 9.8% of Wyoming residents who reported current use of smokeless tobacco use in 2011, 1.5% of those residing in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts and 9.4% of those in West Virginia reported current use during 2013.
While increased use of smokeless tobacco was observed in Louisiana (26.7%), West Virginia (25.3%), South Carolina (22.2%) and Montana (12.7%), decreased use was observed in Tennessee (–25%) and Ohio (–16%).
The concurrent use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco during 2011 ranged from 2% in Nevada to 12.5% in Utah. In 2013, between 3.1% of Vermont residents and 13.5% of Idaho residents reported concurrent use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Five states — Nevada (155%), Delaware (100%), Idaho (57%), West Virginia (31.3%) and New Mexico (25.4%) — reported significant increases in concurrent use.
“The findings … underscore the importance of implementing proven interventions for reducing the use of all tobacco products. Full implementation of comprehensive tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended funding levels, in conjunction with the FDA regulation of tobacco products, could reduce tobacco use and change social norms regarding the acceptability of tobacco use in the United States,” Nguyen and colleagues wrote. – by Jennifer Southall
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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