Smoking Rate High Among Some Ethnic, Racial Groups; 480,000 Annual Premature Deaths Are Tobacco-Related

Smoking rate in some racial and ethnic groups is suggested be high according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The research in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality weekly report found that between 2010 and 2013, the smoking rate among whites is about 25 percent while Asians' overall smoking rate is at 11 percent.

It is noted that disparities exist among subgroups as it is revealed that 8 percent of Chinese and Asian Indians are said to be smoking during that time period. On the other hand, about 20 percent of Korean American have not killed their smoking habits. Associate director Dr. Bridgette Garrete for Health Equity in the CDC's office on smoking and health said that looking beyond the broad racial and ethnic population categories could help focus on the strategies that work in reducing tobacco use among subgroups.

Director of CDC's office on smoking and health Dr. Corinne Graffunder said that smoke-free policies, hard-hitting media campaigns, higher tobacco products prices and promotion of cessation treatment in clinical settings are proven to reduce the use of tobacco products. She said that if these are fully implemented and enforced, their strategies could help reduce the use of tobacco particularly among racial and ethnic groups with higher rates of smoking, IB Times reported.

The smoking prevalence among Blacks between 2010 and 2013 is about 25 percent while it is about 20 percent among Hispanics, CDC reported. The highest prevalence of cigarette smoking is found among American Indians and Alaskan natives which is at 38.9 percent.

Researchers analyzed cigarette smoking rates among six racial and ethnic groups. They also conducted studies among 10 subgroups in the United States. They drew their conclusions from the data gathered in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health collected between 2002 to 2005 and 2010 to 2013.

Smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 premature deaths annually, 30 Americans of which suffer from a tobacco-related disease. Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. according to the CDC.