ATLANTA – Georgia ranks in the top 10 states among the US with the highest percentage of residents trying to quit smoking, according to a new study.
Release:
A new study has revealed the US states with the highest percentage of residents trying to quit smoking – Connecticut is leading the way in smoking cessation efforts.
The study, conducted by vape manufacturer Yocan, utilized the most recent smoking cessation data from the American Lung Association. It examined the percentage of adult cigarette smokers who, in an effort to quit, abstained from smoking for at least one day or more in 2022, uncovering the states most dedicated to quitting smoking.
Connecticut leads the nation in quit attempts, with an impressive 63.6% of current smokers trying to kick the habit, a remarkable 16.9% above the national average of 54.4%. This translates to approximately 201,029 individuals in the state who have taken steps to quit smoking.
The state of Alabama follows closely behind, with 63.0% of adult smokers attempting to quit. This figure represents 426,231 Alabama residents who tried to stop smoking for at least one day in the past year.
Mississippi residents have also demonstrated a strong commitment to smoking cessation, with 61.2% of adult smokers attempting to quit. This places Mississippi in third place nationally and is an impressive 6.8% higher than the national average.
In fourth place, 60.4% of New Jersey smokers attempted to quit smoking, totaling 411,889 individuals. New Jersey’s residents are clearly taking proactive steps toward living a smoke-free lifestyle.
Delaware ranks fifth, with 59.2% of its adult smokers trying to quit. This figure is 4.8% more than the national average of 54.4%. Across the state, 64,361 smokers decided to improve their health in 2022.
Ranking sixth, Georgia sees 59% of its adult smokers making smoking cessation efforts. This amounts to a huge 702,850 individuals who have tried to stop smoking for at least one day.
In seventh place, California’s commitment to going smoke-free is also evident, with 58.8% of adult smokers making a quit attempt. This represents a staggering 1,459,787 individuals striving to positively change their lifestyle by quitting smoking.
Rhode Island ranks eighth, with a notable 58.6% of its smokers attempting to quit, which is a respectable 4.2% more than the national average. This translates to 62,530 individuals striving to break free from smoking.
Ninth place goes to New York, where 58.2% of its adult smokers actively attempted to quit in 2022, amounting to 981,337 individuals who have tried to stop smoking.
Rounding out the top ten, Alaska has 58.1% of its adult smokers trying to quit, which places them a reasonable 3.7% above the national average. This represents 53,397 Alaskans who have attempted to stop smoking, showcasing the state’s commitment to reducing tobacco use and promoting healthier living.
States most committed to quitting smoking (2022):
Rank State Number of adults who tried to quit Percentage of current smokers who tried to quit 1 Connecticut 201,029 63.6% 2 Alabama 426,231 63.0% 3 Mississippi 272,497 61.2% 4 New Jersey 411,889 60.4% 5 Delaware 64,361 59.2% 6 Georgia 702,850 59.0% 7 California 1,459,787 58.8% 8 Rhode Island 62,530 58.6% 9 New York 981,337 58.2% 10 Alaska 53,397 58.1%
On the other end of the scale, the study also identified the states with the lowest percentage of adult smokers attempting to quit.
Kentucky ranks as the state making the least effort to quit smoking, with only 46.3% of adult smokers making a quit attempt, a shocking 8.1% below the national average. This figure represents 328,706 of Kentucky’s smokers.
Ranking as the second least committed state, just 48.2% of Maine smokers have tried to quit, totaling 83,550 individuals. This places Maine among the states with the least commitment to quitting.
West Virginia follows closely behind, with 48.5% of adult smokers making a quit attempt; only 151,314 smokers in the state attempted to stop smoking in 2022.
Ranking in fourth place, Arkansas had just 48.8% of its adult smokers trying to quit in 2022, which is 5.6% less than the average. This figure translates to just 217,744 residents attempting to quit.
In fifth place, 49.1% of Oregon’s smokers attempted to quit, representing 209,335 individuals. This rate is 5.3% below the national average, suggesting that Oregon may need to strengthen its initiatives to encourage a smoke-free lifestyle.
North Dakota and Tennessee share the sixth spot, with each state having 50% of its adult smokers making a quit attempt. In North Dakota, this translates to 48,628 individuals trying to quit, while in Tennessee, 477,759 residents have taken steps towards a smoke-free life.
In seventh place, Minnesota reported 50.5% of adult smokers making efforts to quit, with 289,277 individuals striving to stop smoking.
Montana ranks as the eighth least committed state to quitting smoking, with 67,680 residents – 50.6% of all adult smokers in the state – making at least one attempt to quit.
In ninth place, Wyoming saw only 51.4% of its adult smokers attempt to quit. This percentage represents 40,420 individuals who tried to stop smoking in 2022.
Rounding out the bottom ten, just over half of Indiana’s smokers attempted to quit, with 52.1% trying to kick the habit. This equates to approximately 490,232 individuals in Indiana who made an effort to stop smoking over the past year.
States least committed to quitting smoking (2022):
Rank State Number of adults who tried to quit Percentage of current smokers who tried to quit 1 Kentucky 328,706 46.3% 2 Maine 83,550 48.2% 3 West Virginia 151,314 48.5% 4 Arkansas 217,744 48.8% 5 Oregon 209,335 49.1% 6 North Dakota 48,628 50.0% Tennessee 477,759 50.0% 7 Minnesota 289,277 50.5% 8 Montana 67,680 50.6% 9 Wyoming 40,420 51.4% 10 Indiana 490,232 52.1%
Speaking on the findings, Louis Lou from Yocan said, “The findings from this study reveal significant efforts and notable disparities in smoking cessation across the United States. It is clear that states such as Connecticut, Alabama, and Mississippi are making substantial strides in encouraging smokers to quit, which is a promising development for public health.
“Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) underscores the urgency of these efforts, as cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the US. Each year, smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths, accounting for about one in every five deaths. This staggering statistic highlights the critical importance of nationwide smoking cessation initiatives.
“It is crucial to address states such as Kentucky, Maine, and West Virginia, which have much lower rates of quit attempts, with less than half of their smokers trying to quit across 2022. This disparity points to a pressing need for increased support and resources in these regions to help residents quit smoking.”
