Despite the proliferation of vapes and e-cigarettes, tobacco is still the popular choice for smokers across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although cigarette use has significantly declined over the past couple of decades, about 34 million adults still smoke.

Using the latest available data from the CDC, we created an interactive map showing the percentage of each state’s population that regularly smokes cigarettes. Hover over each state to see the smoking rate and population count.

 

Top 5 States With Highest Smoking Rates

  1. West Virginia – 26%
  2. Kentucky – 24.6%
  3. Louisiana – 23.1%
  4. Tennessee – 22.6%
  5. Arkansas – 22.3%

Top 5 States With Lowest Smoking Rates

  1. Utah – 8.9%
  2. California – 11.3%
  3. Connecticut – 12.7%
  4. Hawaii – 12.8%
  5. Washington – 13.5%

After assessing the top five states, we hypothesized that lax smoking laws are a big contributor to their higher-than-average rates. In West Virginia and Kentucky, there are no smoking restrictions in private workplaces, restaurants, bars, retail stores, recreational/cultural facilities, and casinos/gaming establishments. In Louisiana, smoking restrictions are not required in bars. In Tennessee and Arkansas, smoking is allowed in bars and restaurants that restrict anyone under 21.

When it comes to Utah having the lowest smoking rate in the country, two factors are likely the contributors. First, Utah has a large Mormon population, whose religion restricts the use of tobacco and other drugs. Over 60% of Utah residents identify as Mormon, or nearly two million people. Second, Utah has some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the U.S., including one that addresses secondhand smoke in apartment buildings and other dwellings.

While these rates are representative of firsthand smokers, it is also important to consider the rates of secondhand smoke inhalation. According to the CDC, secondhand smoke “causes nearly 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year in the United States among nonsmokers.” In some states (like Utah), you can sue your neighbor if their smoking “causes a nuisance”, meaning that it interferes with your comfortable enjoyment of life or property. Personal injury attorneys in states like these are helping victims of secondhand smoke receive compensation for their injuries and quality of life disturbances.

Here is a full table of the data:

State Smoking Rate 2020 Population
Alabama 20.9% 4,908,621
Alaska 21% 734,002
Arizona 15.6% 7,378,494
Arkansas 22.3% 3,038,999
California 11.3% 39,937,489
Colorado 14.6% 5,845,526
Connecticut 12.7% 3,563,077
Delaware 17% 982,895
District of Columbia 14.3% 720,687
Florida 16.1% 21,992,985
Georgia 17.5% 10,736,059
Hawaii 12.8% 1,412,687
Idaho 14.3% 1,826,156
Illinois 15.5% 12,659,682
Indiana 21.8% 6,745,354
Iowa 17.1% 3,179,849
Kansas 17.4% 2,910,357
Kentucky 24.6% 4,499,692
Louisiana 23.1% 4,645,184
Maine 17.3% 1,345,790
Maryland 13.8% 6,083,116
Massachusetts 13.7% 6,976,597
Michigan 19.3% 10,045,029
Minnesota 14.5% 5,700,671
Mississippi 22.2% 2,989,260
Missouri 20.8% 6,169,270
Montana 17.2% 1,086,759
Nebraska 15.4% 1,952,570
Nevada 17.6% 3,139,658
New Hampshire 15.7% 1,371,246
New Jersey 13.7% 8,936,574
New Mexico 17.5% 2,096,640
New York 14.1% 19,440,469
North Carolina 17.2% 10,611,862
North Dakota 18.3% 761,723
Ohio 21.1% 11,747,694
Oklahoma 20.1% 3,954,821
Oregon 16.1% 4,301,089
Pennsylvania 18.7% 12,820,878
Rhode Island 14.9% 1,056,161
South Carolina 18.8% 5,210,095
South Dakota 19.3% 903,027
Tennessee 22.6% 6,897,576
Texas 15.7% 29,472,295
Utah 8.9% 3,282,115
Vermont 15.8% 628,061
Virginia 16.4% 8,626,207
Washington 13.5% 7,797,095
West Virginia 26% 1,778,070
Wisconsin 16% 5,851,754
Wyoming 18.7% 567,025