5 States with the Highest Rates of Smoking in America

In this article, we will be taking a look at the 5 states with the highest rates of smoking in America. For detailed coverage of this topic and a more comprehensive list, head straight to the 20 States with the Highest Rates of Smoking in America.

5. Mississippi

Adult Smoking Rate: 20.4%

Mississippi ranks 5th on our list of states with the highest rates of smoking in America.

10.0% of mothers in the state reported smoking during the last three months of pregnancy in 2019. On the other hand, at 71.9 years, Mississippi has the lowest life expectancy in the country.

4. Ohio

Adult Smoking Rate: 20.8%

In 2019, the adult smoking rate in Ohio, one of the most crowded states in the US, was 20.8%.

Furthermore, cigarette smoking causes more than 20,000 deaths in the state every year, necessitating more comprehensive smoking prevention and cessation programs.

3. Louisiana

Adult Smoking Rate: 21.9%

Louisiana, a southern state on the Gulf of Mexico, has the third lowest life expectancy in the country, at 73.1 years.

2. Kentucky

Adult Smoking Rate: 23.6%

Kentucky, a southern state bounded by Ohio River in the north and Appalachian Mountains in the east, has a smoking rate that is only 0.2% lower than that of West Virginia.

Moreover, the state spends more than $1.92 billion on smoking related medical expenses annually.

1. West Virginia

Adult Smoking Rate: 23.8%

West Virginia tops our list of the states with the highest rates of smoking in America. This landlocked state is also one of the least populated states in the country.

However, it has the highest smoking rate and the highest smoking related deaths in the country (241 per 100,000 people). 

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