May 31 is World No Tobacco Day. This annual initiative of the World Health Organization was created in 1987 to increase awareness concerning the harmful impact of tobacco use.
Here at BetMassachusetts.com, we are taking a break from Massachusetts sports betting coverage to celebrate World No Tobacco Day by comparing the number of Massachusetts smokers to that of other states.
To do so, we took data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (CDC – 2021 BRFSS Survey Data and documentation).
Using this report, BetMassachusetts.com — your source for Massachusetts sports betting promos — ranked the U.S. states according to the percentage of adults who reported “smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke daily or some days.”
Here are the results, from the state with the lowest concentration of adult smokers to the highest.
MORE: DraftKings Massachusetts Promo Code
According to the CDC, Massachusetts has the fifth-lowest percentage of smokers at 10.6%. This is down from the 13.7% rate reported in a Government of Massachusetts survey conducted in 2017.
One reason why Massachusetts might be home to fewer adult smokers could be the $3.51 in taxes paid on each pack — the sixth-highest tax rate for smokes of any state. In 2021, that lead to an estimated $793.9 million from tobacco sales lining the coffers of the state government.
But that figure pales in comparison to the cost of smoking-caused health issues, which is estimated to be north of $4 billion annually, according to truthinitiative.org research.
Although the number of adult smokers ranks below the national average, the percentage of high school cigarette smokers is 3.5% — above the national average of 2%. And the number of Massachusetts high schoolers who use e-cigarettes (17.2%) is higher than the national average of 14.1%.
If you are a smoker feeling inspired to kick the habit by World No Tobacco Day, you can reach the Massachusetts Smoker’s Quitline by calling 1-900-QUIT-NOW. This free resource offers a tele-counselling service, as well as up to eight weeks of Nicotine Replacement therapy (i.e. gum, patches, etc.). When it comes to your health, quitting smoking is as sure of a bet as you can make.
However, if you are looking to wager in the state, be sure to check out our reviews on Massachusetts betting apps.
Author
Jeff Parker is an entertainment writer for BetMassachusetts.com. A writer for film, television and the internet, Jeff is a life long movie buff, with a Masters Degree in Popular Culture. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he works full time as documentary filmmaker and producer.
Cited by leading media organizations, such as:
