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Stats

Across the board, the greatest single predictor of tobacco use is low socioeconomic status (SES).

Income

• The smoking prevalence is much higher among adults living below the poverty level (28.9%) than those living at or above the poverty level (18.3%).¹

Education

• Smoking prevalence increases with decreasing education:¹

• And those with a general education diploma (GED) have a smoking prevalence of 45.2%!¹
  

Cigar and smokeless tobacco use

• The highest prevalence of current cigar use and smokeless tobacco use is among persons with less than a high school education.²
• In 2010, cigar use increased among persons below the poverty level.²
  

Secondhand smoke

• A higher proportion of nonsmokers living at or below the poverty level are exposed to secondhand smoke.³
  

Employment status

• Among uninsured working adults aged 18 or over, 28.6% smoke.⁴
  
• Individuals working in the below occupations have higher than average smoking rates:⁴
  

¹ CDC. Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged  ≥ 18 Years --- United States, 2004-2010. MMWR 2011; 60(35):1207-1212.
² National Interview Health Survey, United States, 2010
³ CDC. Vital Signs: Nonsmokers' Exposure to Secondhand Smoke --- United States, 1999-2008. MMWR 2010;  59(35):1141-1146.
⁴ CDC. Current Cigarette Smoking Prevalence Among Working Adults --- United States, 2004-2010. MMWR 2011; 60(38):1305-1309.

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