Feds: Three Of Four Homes Say "No Smoking"

Government Study Shows Dramatic Increase In Homes That Prohibit People From Lighting Up

(AP)  Smoking is forbidden in nearly three out of four U.S. households, a dramatic increase from the 43 percent of homes that prohibited smoking a decade ago, the federal government reported Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the survey in 2003, said it was the first study to offer a state-by-state look at the prevalence of smoking in American homes.

Utah led the nation, with people in nearly nine out of 10 homes saying smoking was never allowed. The state's large population of Mormons, who eschew tobacco, probably contributed to that statistic, the agency said.

Kentucky was in last place, with a little more than half of households sending smokers outside. But even in Kentucky, smokers found fewer place to light up: Ten years earlier, only a quarter of the state's households barred smoking.

"That really says that people are starting to understand the hazards of secondhand smoke," said Dr. Corinne Husten, co-author of the study and chief of the epidemiology branch of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health.

The report is based on a national survey done mostly by telephone every two years. For a household to be included in the results, everyone 15 and older had to respond, and they all had to agree on the smoking rules.

The survey covered 127,000 U.S. households in 2003, the most recent year for which such data was available. The study looked at 900 to 7,000 homes in each state. Similar numbers were surveyed in previous years.

Participants were asked whether smoking was allowed everywhere in the home, only in some places, or not at all.

Among households with at least one smoker, the national prevalence of take-it-outside rules rose from about 10 percent in the early 1990s to 32 percent in 2003. Among households with no smokers, the percentage with such rules rose from 57 percent to almost 84 percent.

The CDC said the increases were driven in part by scientific reports and other information in the last 15 years warning that secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease.

A growing number of state and local smoking bans in restaurants, bars and workplaces may also have been influential at home, Husten said.

The study was published the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In another MMWR article this week, surveys of nearly 750,000 teens in 137 countries and territories showed that students exposed to smoking at home were most likely to take up the habit themselves.

The study found that more than 71 percent of nonsmoking students surveyed in Europe said they were exposed to cigarette smoke at home. The exposure was much lower in other parts of the world — particularly in Africa, where the statistic was just 23 percent.

[michellem99-2009]

Yes, gentle postee, you are so right. The lobbists do pander to Uncle/Aunt Sam to CONTROL WE THE PEOPLE. Bush has done his share. People don't trust each other. Has govt gone to far. I would rather others not smoke. I was born in the post ww2. I am 52. I feel for the kids who don't know any different. I don't think bans work as it forces smokers out or what ever the issue is.

[uceslady]

I believe Uncle Sam and your neighbor government have stepped up to the plate on the smoking issue. It is called losing your rights and the word CONTROL. People that are all for banning smoking take heed....your time is coming. Ever heard the word lobbist. They are working right now to take away your rights. Everthing will always go back to MONEY. Smoking is not really the issue, it is CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE. They don't give a flip about Joe Blow until election time. If smoking laws didn't affect you, you better bet they will come up with something that will. Then whine to the lawmakers. What on earth will people die from when they get rid of all the smokers? I am not for smoking, but I would not have liked to live in Nazi Germany either. There are a lot more sin habits than drinking and smoking, they are just the ones outwardly the most prevalent.

[michellem99-2009]

Yes, cigerettes kill. A slow death but they do.
Now booze. Yes that is a problem. I would love to see the ads for that banned as smoking ads were in 1970.
There is one city that has banned smoking in cars when children are in them.
They had a nation wide ban on booze. I know the ads are misleading and sends the wrong messages to the young people. IF they could tell it like it is. I know what booze does to people and it is not pretty. I hate it. I have to say it does mess up the body,cause health issues,brake up the family, and the like. It is legal to buy if you are over 18. IT awful to see a drunk. I don't feel sorry for them. The issues are not dealt with.
I feel the ads need to be pulled as they did for cigerette and smoking items.
Govt not going to step upto the plate as they are making money on the sin habits smoking and drinking. It is sad when kids drink and smoke.

[uceslady]

The REAL killer is alcohol. Cigarettes do not alter the mind, impair judgement, slow reflexes, break up homes, cause domestic violence, and cost the government due to housing prisoners. What are the health hazards of alcohol? Has a report ever been done comparing the number of alcohol related deaths to smoke related deaths in a years time? Don't read much about that subject....wonder why? Wonder what percentage of the US population will have a drink? Why don't the United States Government and panties-in-a-wad citizens jump on the right band wagon? Anybody with a lick of sense knows cigarette smoke(first or second hand)is not good to be around. Waiting and watching for the first bumper sticker that says "Mother's Against Smoking Drivers". Surely we will see one before long.

[susanhelit]

And I bought and paid for my house too - which is why you can't smoke here.

I just like seeing that 75% see through tobacco company BS. You do what you want in your own house, when it's just going to impact you. But forget it when it impacts me.

[maedean]

I bought and paid for my house and what I do in it is none of your f*****g buisness. Worry about the war or something that has a purpose in life!!!Get Real

[michellem99-2009]

I don't allow smokers in the apt. I hate 2rd hand smoke. Smoking is banned in our home by us for health reasons.
Gentle postee,I and my friend use mass transit. We have to. I would love a car free nation where every body uses mass transit. But you know that won't happen just as people will smoke.
My Dad is on oxyzen due to years of smoking. He was forced to quit and he did cold turkey.
My friend has health issues due to smoking, heart and lung problems,diabetes etc. After his 1st heart attack he quit cold turkey.
They raise the price of cigerettes and they will pay the price to smoke, ban or no ban. The smoking bans forces them to smoke in homes and apt. buildings. We have smoking bans here as most states do, and they are on the street smoking.
With all the info out on smoking you'd think people would not smoke. They do.
The jails/prisoms are full. It is legal to smoke and that cig is full of stuff harmful to us. Legal to buy and smoke deadly cigs. That never made sense to me. I am just a lay person.

[trillion1]

The inmates are running the asylum. Well, anyone is welcome at our house weither you smoke or drink. We just can't be lumped in with the judgmental nuts.

[apdepetris]

Makes sense from what I've seen. My husband and I don't want people smoking in our home. Second-hand smoke is one thing, but I also don't want my house smelling like a cigarette. But I've found that it's a non-issue - we don't even discuss it. The people we know that smoke just naturally go outside to do it. I know a few that don't even smoke in their own homes.

[ronnie_22]

Again, if we are going to tell people what to do lets just go all out and get rid of all the things that make our air cleaner for our children. So long cars and factories. And why is everyone worried about the kids, if you were any kind of parent you would be watching your kid instead of letting society do it for you. 75%? Wow I guess the percent of these people also dont drink or eat fast food too. Get real people. Hypocrite is all I see. If your so worried about health of you and your child then worry about the fast food places that our on every corner. Thats why this country is so over weight. I'm sure that isn't good but where is the figures for that. Take away fast food and this country goes into utter rebellion.

[susanhelit]

75% of the nation now understands how dangerous smoking, even just secondhand smoke, is. Fewer children will have asthma, fewer people will die of lung cancer, because of this.

[ronnie_22]

I'd really like to see everyone without cars since we're all worried about breathing clean air, hipocrits. Stand up and support your cause. Or is it more of a "Us vs Them" motive.

[ronnie_22]

Prison? I hope your joking. Might as well put everyone in prison for drinking or driving for that matter. Just go ahead and take away everything that is harmful for society and nature. Atleast we'll have clean air to breathe and no more liver disease or stupid drunks. Then we'll be left with nothing. All of you people are really losing it. Keep singling out a group of people for living the way they want to live because someday you're going to be all alone.

[clevercandi]

It's about time we had a war on the real killer - tobacco!

Let's look into prison time for the users, too!