Toll of Tobacco in the United States

The Toll of Tobacco in Vermont

Updated Dec. 5, 2012

The Toll of Tobacco in Vermont

High school students who smoke 13.3% (4,800)
Male high school students who use smokeless or spit tobacco 11.0% (females use much lower)
Kids (under 18) who become new daily smokers each year 700
Kids exposed to secondhand smoke at home 42,000
Packs of cigarettes bought or smoked by kids each year 1.2 million
Adults in Vermont who smoke* 19.1% (95,500)

*Due to changes in CDC's methodology, the 2011 adult smoking rate cannot be compared to adult smoking data from previous years.

 

U.S. National Data (2011)

High school smoking rate: 18.1%
Male high school students who use smokeless tobacco: 12.8%
Adult smoking rate 19.0%

 

Deaths in Vermont from Smoking

Adults who die each year from their own smoking 800
Kids now under 18 and alive in Vermont who will ultimately die prematurely from smoking 12,000

Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined — and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes — such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use.

Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in Vermont

Annual health care costs in Vermont directly caused by smoking $233 million
Portion covered by the state Medicaid program $72 million
Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures $619 per household
Smoking-caused productivity losses in Vermont $192 million

Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, smokeless tobacco use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Tobacco use also imposes additional costs such as workplace productivity losses and damage to property.

Tobacco Industry Influence in Vermont

Annual tobacco industry marketing expenditures nationwide $8.5 billion
Estimated portion spent for Vermont marketing each year $16.9 million

Published research studies have found that kids are twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising than adults and are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure. One-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributable to tobacco company advertising.

View sources of information.

More detailed fact sheets on tobacco's toll in each state are available by emailing factsheets@tobaccofreekids.org