State-Specific Patterns of Cigarette Smoking, Smokeless Tobacco Use, and E-Cigarette Use Among Adults - United States, 2016

• Published in: Preventing chronic disease Vol. 16; p. E17
• Main Authors: Hu, S Sean, Homa, David M, Wang, Teresa, Gomez, Yessica, Walton, Kimp, Lu, Hua, Neff, Linda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 07.02.2019
• Series: Peer Reviewed
• Subjects: Original Research
• ISSN: 1545-1151; 1545-1151
• DOI: 10.5888/pcd16.180362

State-level monitoring of changes in tobacco product use can help inform tobacco control policy and practice. This study examined state-specific prevalence of cigarette, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarette use among US adults. Data came from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a state-based telephone survey of US adults aged 18 years or older (N = 477,665). Prevalence estimates for current (every day or some days) cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco use, and e-cigarette use were calculated for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) and stratified by sex and race/ethnicity. Because the 2016 BRFSS measured e-cigarette use for the first time, estimates of ever e-cigarette use and concurrent use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes were also calculated. We assessed subgroup differences with χ tests. In 2016, prevalence of current cigarette smoking among US adults ranged from 8.8% (Utah) to 24.8% (West Virginia), while prevalence of current smokeless tobacco use ranged from 1.3% (DC) to 9.8% (Wyoming). For e-cigarettes, ever use ranged from 16.2% (DC) to 28.4% (Arkansas), and current use ranged from 2.4% (DC) to 6.7% (Oklahoma). Across all states, current e-cigarette use was significantly higher among current cigarette smokers than among former or never cigarette smokers. States with the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking generally had a high prevalence of current e-cigarette use. Prevalence of adult cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco use, and e-cigarette use varies across states. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive statewide tobacco control and use prevention efforts that address the diverse tobacco products used among adults.