Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking in the United States: Estimates From the 1985 Current Population Survey

Abstract

In September 1985, the Census Bureau collected health information on 114,342 individuals as part of its Current Population Survey (CPS). A special supplement that included questions on smoking practices was sponsored by the Office on Smoking and Health. The CPS, with its large sample size, provides a unique opportunity to examine region, division, and state estimates of smoking prevalence. The overall prevalence rate for males in the 1985 CPS was estimated at 31.3%, compared with 25.0% for females. For males, smoking rates were highest in the South (34.5%) and lowest in the West (28.0%). For females, smoking rates were highest in the North Central region (26.3%) and lowest in the West (22.7%). Among males, blacks reported higher smoking rates (37.2%) than whites (30.7%) or Hispanics (30.9%). In contrast, white females (25.8%) and black females (26.0%) reported virtually identical smoking rates, while Hispanic females reported a considerably lower rate (16.5%). White-collar workers (both males and females) also reported substantially lower smoking rates than service or blue-collar workers. For both males and females, peak smoking prevalence occurred in the 40-49-year age group (males = 38.1%, females = 30.6%).