This indicator measures the percentage of adults who are current smokers (who smoked tobacco in the past 30 days).  We know that adults with a high school education or less and those with lower incomes are more likely to smoke. While overall adult smoking rates have declined over the last 25 years, those who have achieved only lower levels of education and/or earn below 250% of the federal poverty level are affected disproportionately.

To compare smoking rates among lower income adults with smoking rates among higher income adults, click on this indicator to make it full screen, then click the Toggle Comparison button. FPL is used to determine eligibility for government assistance programs. People living below 250% FPL, for example, are still considered low income, often lacking sufficient income to meet basic needs.

Contextual and policy factors that have influenced this decline include: smoke-free work place law, establishing smoke-free schools, increased funding for tobacco prevention and cessation using Master Settlement Agreement dollars, cessation resources (802 Quits), and tax increases on cigarettes.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. Though smoking rates are falling, adults with incomes below 250% of the federal poverty level are four times more likely to be current smokers. Healthy community design can improve everyone’s ability to make healthy choices by reducing exposure to tobacco advertising and increasing smoke-free indoor and outdoor policies.

Due to BRFSS weighting methodology changes beginning in 2011, comparisons between data collected in 2011 and later and that from 2010 and earlier should be made with caution. Differences between data from 2011 forward and earlier years may be due to methodological changes, rather than changes in opinion or behavior.

This indicator is age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population. In U.S. data, age adjustment is used for comparison of regions with varying age breakdowns. In order to remain consistent with the methods of comparison at a national level, some statistics in Vermont were age adjusted. In cases where age adjustment was noted as being part of the statistical analysis, the estimates were adjusted based on the proportional age breakdowns of the U.S. population in 2000. For more detailed information on age adjustment visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statnt/statnt20.pdf.

Vermont Department of Vermont Health Access

Quit Partners

Local community coalitions

Vermont Department of Health, Burlington District Office, Tobacco Control Program