Tobacco stats

To reduce the harm caused by tobacco use, the Food and Drug Administration needs increased regulatory authority over tobacco marketing, packaging and distribution practices, a new report recommends. The report, by the Institute of Medicine, suggested that increased excise taxes, widespread indoor smoking bans and other regulatory measures could make a dent in the nation’s smoking rate. (The Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, is an independent organization that offers evidence-based advice to policymakers, health professionals, the private sector and the public.) Here are some statistics on smoking:

Smoking rate among U.S. adults: 21%

Number of U.S. smokers: 45 million

Smoking rate (daily use) among U.S. high school seniors: 20%

Percent of people who smoke who began as teenagers: 80%

Percent of smokers who say they want to quit: 70%

Declines in U.S. adult smoking rate since 1964: 50%

Deaths attributed to smoking per year: 440,000

Deaths attributed to second-hand smoke per year: 50,000

Smoking-related health costs per year: $89 billion

Annual spending by tobacco industry to market products: $15 billion

Source: “Ending the Tobacco Problem: A Blueprint for the Nation,” Institute of Medicine, National Academies Press, May 24, 2007

— Shari Roan