Effects of Tobacco on Missourians

Missouri has one of the highest smoking rates in the country.

Tobacco use either causes or contributes to 9,700 deaths in Missouri and 16,500 in Illinois each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

• Twenty-four percent of Missourians are current smokers -- those who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke every day or some days.
• Smoking causes harm to every age group from the unborn to the elderly.
• Missouri’s annual health costs from tobacco use are estimated at $1.96 billion
• Missouri’s lost productivity caused by smoking is estimated at $2.34 billion.

Beliefs about secondhand smoke among Missouri adults

• 92.6% think that secondhand smoke is very or somewhat harmful.
• 69.2% think secondhand smoke causes heart disease.
• 34.5% think it causes colon cancer.
• 94.5% believe it causes respiratory problems in children.
• 52.3% think it can cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• 16.2% had asked a stranger not to smokearound them during past 12 months.

• 38.7% live with someone who smokes cigarettes.
• 23.6% were exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes on more than one of the seven days prior to the survey.
• 58.8% do not allow smoking inside their home; 13.0% allow it in some areas or some times.32.5% had been in a car with someone who smoked during the past seven days; 53.9% do not allow smoking in their cars at all; 14.1% allow it some times.

Secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace among Missouri adults:

• 78.7% work indoors most of the time.
• 17.7% had someone smoke in their work area during past seven days.
• 74.4% of those who work indoors do so where smoking is not allowed in workareas
• 17.0% work where smoking is allowed in some work areas.
• 11.4% would prefer stronger workplace smoking policies; 2.8% prefer weakerpolicies; 85.8% prefer no change.

Sources: Campaign for Tobacco Free kids, 2005; Centers for Disease Control and prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 2004; U.S. Surgeon General’s reports, 2004