Socioeconomic Status and Tobacco Use

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of illness, disability and death in the United States, and more than 400,000 premature deaths occur each year in this country from tobacco-related causes (1). More than 80 percent of adult smokers first become regular smokers by the age of 18, and casual experimentation with smoking by adolescents frequently develops into regular smoking and a strong addiction. Despite the growth in anti-tobacco campaigns, research has shown that socioeconomic status (SES) is still a major determinant as to whether or not teens begin smoking (2). A recent analysis of data from the 2000 National Health Interview Study found that smoking prevalence was highest among persons with working class jobs, low education and low income, and that each of these indicators of SES was independently and positively associated with smoking prevalence (3). Previous research has shown that those with the least disposable income and lowest levels of education tend to smoke at the highest levels (4)