Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use in the United States. The use of tobacco and nicotine products extends hundreds of years into the past, when parts of the United States were highly coveted for their ideal conditions for growing tobacco. Today, cigarettes can be purchased almost everywhere you go, from gas stations to grocery stores. But many smoking adults are not aware of the basic facts concerning smoking.
Demographics
Where you fit into society can be an indicator of how likely you are to be a smoker. On the whole, just under 21 percent of the American population smokes cigarettes--23.4 percent of men and 18.5 percent of women smoke, according to QuitGuide.com. These numbers are much more variable when income is factored in--more than 29 percent of individuals under the poverty line smoke, while less than 21 percent of people at or above the poverty line are smokers. The elderly--individuals 65 and over--are least likely to be smokers, while individuals in the 25-to-44 age range are the most common smokers. The highest rate of smokers according to education are those with a General Education Development (GED) diploma, while the lowest rate is among those with graduate degrees. More than one out of every three persons with American Indian racial and/or ethnic backgrounds smoke, followed by non-Hispanic whites at 22.2 percent, non-Hispanic blacks at 20.2 percent, Hispanics at 15 percent, and only 11.3 percent of Asians.
Financial and Health Impact
Smoking cigarettes can consume a sizable portion of your paycheck, depending on how frequently you smoke. But the costs are much higher when quantified in terms of health care and lost productivity at work--QuitGuide.com reports that society pays $8 in medical and productivity costs for every pack of cigarettes smoked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this results in costs of $193 billion annually to the American people--$10 billion of which is attributed to individuals who only encounter second hand smoke. The CDC also reports that smoking creates an increased risk of cancer, heart disease and lung diseases. Because of this, the life expectancy of a smoker is 13 to 14 years shorter than a nonsmoker.
Effective Treatment Methods
According to the CDC, 70 percent of smokers have the desire to quit smoking, and 40 percent try to quit at least once a year. The centers report four different methods of treatment that have proven effective in the treatment of smoking and nicotine addiction. These include brief clinical interventions, counseling, over-the-counter and prescription nicotine medications designed to wean your body of nicotine, and prescription non-nicotine medications.
