Smoking rates in the United States hit new low
Published by Christian Trygstad on
Good news is coming out of a survey of 27,000 Americans; the smoking rate in the United States has hit another record low.
The latest survey indicates that 14% of US adults were smokers last year, down from 16% the year before.
Although the rate of decline has been slowing, encouraging numbers are being reflected with teens, with only 9% of high schoolers identified as smokers.
This is a dramatic shift from the 1960s, when 42% of US adults were smokers. This decline can be attributed to education, smoking bans, and taxes.
The decline in the smoking rate will improve the health of all of the US, as smoking is a major risk factor for cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. In addition, smoking is a major risk factor for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). Studies have shown that 30% of smokers over the age of 50 have PAD.