Adults with 16 or more years of education have the lowest smoking prevalence at about 11.3% compared to 36.8% of those who only receive 9 to 11 years. Nevada has the highest percentage of state-specific smoking prevalence among adults at a staggering 31.5% with Massachusetts coming in the bottom 3 at 19.4%. Women are those typically targeted by tobacco marketing, so it’s no surprise that roughly 22 million of women ages 18 and older smoke cigarettes.
Of course these numbers are a tiny bit outdated with not many studies coming out too recently, but the facts are there according to the Oral Cancer Foundation.
Another fact? CVS just vowed to quit selling tobacco products. The largest drugstore chain in the United States just announced on February 6th that they will no longer sell cigarettes and other tobacco products come October 2014. This move is a positive look at our future-climbing out of those high percentages and into facts like “the highest percentage of state-specific smoking prevalence is at 4% in Nevada…”—a far fetch or a future forseen?
According to the New York Times, “The company [CVS] estimated that its decision would shave an estimated $2 billion in sales from customers buying cigarettes and other products, including incidental items like gum that those shoppers might also purchase. That is a mere dent in its overall sales of $123 billion in 2012, the latest figures available.”
With such a big player in the industry making a dramatic move, you can bet to see a few other game-changers happening within the next few years. Here at Her Campus Bryant, we’re hoping they stick to their vow and begin to move the nation to a healthier country.
Sources:
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/tobacco/demographics_tobacco.htm