Adults and Tobacco
In the state of Michigan, 22% (21.9) of the adult population smokes and in Washtenaw County 16% of the adult population smokes; causing the state to rank 13th in smoking prevalence in the U.S. There are more than 15,000 smoking-related deaths each year in Michigan. This is one-fifth of all deaths, a toll greater than the total number of deaths from alcohol, heroin, cocaine, car accidents, homicide, suicide, fires, and AIDS combined. These numbers contribute to Michigan’s number one ranking in chronic disease mortality rates in the nation. The economic impact of smoking each year exceeds $2 billion in Michigan from health care costs and lost productivity due to smoking-related diseases.
Health professionals and individuals in Washtenaw County are increasingly advocating the adoption and enforcement of policies that discourage smoking and protect nonsmokers from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. The Washtenaw County Tobacco Reduction Coalition has made a commitment to discourage tobacco use and to reduce secondhand tobacco exposure in the county. The Coalition has collaborated with the Washtenaw County Health Improvement Plan (HIP) on priorities and Objectives for the Year 2020 to reduce tobacco use among adults.
2020 Objectives
Healthy Adults / Chronic Disease
Decrease the proportion of adults who are current smokers from 16% to
5%.
Baseline data: 16%
Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine is the drug in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco that causes
addiction. Tobacco companies add chemicals to tobacco products such as tar
and ammonia to increase the delivery of nicotine to the smoker and enhance
the drug’s effect on the brain and nervous system. The pharmacological and
behavioral processes that determine nicotine addiction are similar to those
that determine cocaine and heroin addiction. The tobacco industry’s
manipulation of nicotine in tobacco products has allowed them to addict
adolescents and adults. 80% of adult smokers want to quit but continue
smoking because of nicotine addiction.
Michigan Adult Smoking Facts:
- Twenty-two percent (1,671,200) of Michigan residents smoke. In Washtenaw County 16% of the adult population smokes.
- 16,000 die each year from tobacco-related caused illnesses.
- On average, smokers die almost 7 years earlier than non-smokers. The state of Michigan spends 3.40 billion dollars on healthcare cost directly caused by smoking.
Quitting tobacco use has proven health benefits, even for smokers at a late age. When a smoker quits, circulation improves immediately, the lungs begin to repair, in one year the risk of heart disease is cut in half, and risk of cancer, lung disease, and stroke begins to diminish.
Of the persons who have quit tobacco use, 90% have done it on their own. They cite reasons, such as to take control of their lives, maintain good health, and rid themselves from the unpleasant smell of cigarettes.
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