The U.S. Surgeon General and CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health recently released a report titled “Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General.” This comprehensive report:
- Outlines patterns in smoking cessation across several demographic groups
- Includes new biological insights into smoking cessation
- Highlights the health benefits of smoking cessation
- Recommends evidence-based interventions for smoking cessation and nicotine dependence
Importantly, the report brings attention to health disparities related to tobacco by geographic region. The prevalence of current smoking varies widely by geographic location. U.S. residents living in the Midwest and the South—particularly in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Louisiana experience some of the heaviest burdens associated with smoking. Those who live in rural counties are especially impacted. These same regions also experience the lowest rates of quit attempts and cessation.