Niagara Falls Reporter
Home | Archive / Search
JAN 27 - FEB 03, 2015

Upstate NY Adults More Likely to Smoke Than Rest of the Nation Study shows dumb, poor people smoke more than intelligent successful people

January 27, 2015

Cigarette smoking among upstate New Yorkers has declined since 2004, but smoking rates in upstate New York continue to be higher than state and national averages, according to a new Excellus BlueCross BlueShield report -- "The Facts About Cigarette Smoking Among Upstate New York Adults.

Issued during the 50th anniversary year of the first Surgeon General's report linking smoking to lung cancer, the Excellus BCBS report found that while 20.9 percent of upstate New York adults smoke, the smoking rate among all New York state adults is significantly lower (16.2 percent), and the smoking rate among U.S. adults is also lower (18.1 percent).

The data also shows that over the past decade, the rate of adult smokers in upstate New York has declined 5.4 points, while the rate of adult smokers in New York state declined 4.9 points, and the rate of adult smokers in the U.S. declined 3.7 points.

New York state passed legislation restricting where people can smoke, and the state's taxes on cigarettes are among the highest in the country. About 24,000 New Yorkers die each year from diseases caused by smoking cigarettes, and another 3,000 lives are claimed by exposure to secondhand smoke.

The study concludes that smoking costs New York state more than $15.6 billion (2014 dollars) each year in direct medical costs and economic productivity losses.

Smoking among New York state adults varies by socio-economic demographic:

• One in five adults age 25 to 34 (21.0 percent) smoke.

• Adults who haven't earned a high school diploma or GED are more than three times as likely to smoke (24.0 percent) than college graduates (7.3 percent).

• Adults with incomes below $15,000 are more than twice as likely to smoke (25.2 percent) than those with incomes of $50,000 or more (11.7 percent).

 

 

 

 

 

Lewiston Council Members Unanimously Enthusiastic about Growing Medical Marijuana in Town
As Parents Await Help for Their Children, Lewiston Company Has Healing Charlotte's Web and Seeks, Awaits NYS Approvals
Democrats Struggle to Replace Silver as Probe Continues
How SWEET it is for Dyster's Brook D'Angelo
Upstate NY Adults More Likely to Smoke Than Rest of the Nation Study shows dumb, poor people smoke more than intelligent successful people
Will Walker Reveal his Campaign Finances During Anello Show? Maverick Councilman has not disclosed who donated and how he spent
Whether Innocent or Guilty, Sal Anello faces Shocking Sex Crime Charge
Taxpayers through NEA Fund Consensual-Girlfriend-Slapping Videogame
Caso to be Acting DPW?Director, Bradley Drops City Lawsuit But Will Racial Politics Rear its Head ?
Hunter Interest - Another Skrlin Stunning Political Cartoon
Lewiston Supervisor to try to Set World Powerlift Record Sixty-three year old will compete at authorized Niagara Event
Ponderosa is Where I go for a Delicious Seven Course Meal for Under $10 with Coupons in this Newspaper -- You Get Steak Too!
Pit Bull Battle Continues Is Lazy Journalism Fueling the "Pit Bull Problem"?
Pit Bulls, Bred to be Aggressive Like Many of Their Owners
Lewiston: As Koosterman Leaves, Will Brochey Seek Reelection?
All Signs Point to Brady as the Culprit in Deflate-Gate
Some Recent Deaths: In Case You Hadn't Heard
Only in North Tonawanda
Local Crime Blotter
Bizarre Crimes (From Around the Nation, World)
Dirty Birds at City Hall or Much Ado About a Little Guano?
City Hall Jokes!

Contact Info

©2014 The Niagara Falls Reporter Inc.
POB 3083, Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14304
E-mail: info@niagarafallsreporter.com
Phone: (716) 284-5595

Publisher and Editor in Chief: Frank Parlato
Managing Editor: Dr. Chitra Selvaraj
Senior Editor: Tony Farina