States with the most smokers – a slideshow

“Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States,” causing more than 480,000 deaths a year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Quitting is a great way – although not always an easy way – to add years to life, even stopping cigarette use in middle age, according to a new study.

Some smokers began 2024 with the new year’s resolution to quit. Some common tips to help include using stop-smoking aids, avoiding triggers, keeping busy, exercising, and building a support network.

Yocan Vaporizers, a maker of cigarette substitutes, compiled the list of the top 10 states with the most smokers, using data from the United Health Foundation’ analysis of smokers, titled “America’s Health Rankings,” which uses data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

“The overall trend here is that adults aged 45-64 smoke more consistently than younger or older generations,” said Yocan spokesperson Louis Lou. “This could be for several reasons, for example, health concerns for older generations, and then alternatives to smoking like e-cigarettes and vaping being readily available to younger generations.”

Percentages represent adults of various age groups who smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke daily or some days.