The American Cancer Society (ACS) has published their first edition of The U.S. Tobacco Atlas. Key findings from the report are summarized in a press release.
The U.S. Tobacco Atlas details the burden of tobacco nationwide. ACS divided the information into four accessible sections: Tobacco Use, Disparities, Health & Economic Impact, and Tobacco Control Policy Advances.
According to the findings, cigarette smoking in the U.S. has declined nearly 31% since 1965. More than half (62%) of adults quit smoking in 2022. ACS noted that smokeless tobacco usage is low but centered in certain states like Wyoming and West Virginia. Additionally, e-cigarettes are gaining popularity, with “33% of people who use tobacco also using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.”
The report showed that not enough at-risk adults are following up with lung cancer screening, with 18.1% being screened in 2022. Less individuals keep up with screening in the Southern states.
Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) emphasized in a statement, “For decades, we have made remarkable progress in reducing tobacco use—the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Yet today, that progress is under threat. Let this Atlas inspire policymakers to recommit to a bold vision: a future where tobacco no longer claims lives, deepens inequities, or burdens our economy. Together, we can finish what we started—and end the tobacco epidemic once and for all.”
