Maryland Data
Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. It is critical to monitor tobacco use. In fact, tobacco use is one of Healthy People 2010's TEN Leading Health Indicators that reflect the major health concerns in the United States.
There are numerous sources that provide both national and state level data for prevalence of tobacco use. Below are links to a few sites that provide such data, presented separately for Adults and Adolescents.
Adult National & State-level Tobacco Use Data
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Current Estimates
- It is estimated that one in five (20.9%) adults (44.5 million people) smoke cigarettes in the United States
- For more information, click here.
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS) provides Current Estimates of Adult Cigarette Smoking in the United States (derived from the 2004 National Health Interview Survey)
- For more information, click here.
- Cigarette Smoking Among Adults - United States, 2004, MMWR, November 11, 2005 / 54(44); 1121-1124 available by clicking here.
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
- The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the world's largest, on-going telephone health survey system, supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is a state-based system of health surveys, conducted by the 50 State Health Departments (as well as those in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury (For more information, click here).
- To get state-specific data on a variety of health related topics, including tobacco use click here.
- Can access 2 types of Prevalence data related to cigarette smoking for the Nation and by Individual States
- Four level smoking status (smoke everyday, smoke some days, former smoker, never smoker)
- Percentage of adults who are current smokers
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)
- The NSDUH is an annual survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States aged 12 years old or older.
- The NSDUH is the primary source of statistical information on the use of illegal drugs by the U.S. population.
- The NSDUH surveys provide national estimates of rates of use, numbers of users, and other measures related to illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products. Additionally, the NSDUH includes measures related to mental health problems, including depression and on the co-occurrence of substance use and mental health problems.
- State Level Data
- 2003-2004 Tables for Any Tobacco Product Use in Past Month and Cigarette Use in Past Month, by Age Group and State, based on 2003 and 2004 NSDUHs, can be accessed by clicking the links below:
- 2002-2003 Figures of Past Month Tobacco Product Use and Cigarette Use by State can be accessed by clicking the links below:
- 1999 State Data can be accessed by clicking here.
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)
Adolescent National & State-level Tobacco Use Data
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Current Estimates
- Almost one-quarter (23%) of high school youth and almost one in ten (8%) of middle school youth are current cigarette smokers.
- For more information click here.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette use among high school students - United States, 1991–2005. MMWR. 2006: 55(26);724–726.
- Available by clicking here.
- Almost one-quarter (23%) of high school youth and almost one in ten (8%) of middle school youth are current cigarette smokers.
Monitoring the Future (MTF)
- Monitoring the Future is an ongoing, national study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults.
- Each year, a total of approximately 50,000 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students are surveyed (12th graders since 1975, and 8th and 10th graders since 1991). In addition, annual follow-up questionnaires are mailed to a sample of each graduating class for a number of years after their initial participation.
National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS)
- The National Youth Tobacco Survey, conducted by CDC in 2004, can be used to estimate current use of tobacco products and selected indicators related to tobacco use among U.S. middle school and high school students.
- 1999 NYTS
- The National Youth Tobacco Survey was conducted from September through October 1999 and found that 12.8% of middle school students and 34.8% of high school students currently use some form of tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless, cigars, pipes, bidis, or kreteks).
- About one in 10 (9.2%) middle school students and more than a quarter (28.4%) of high school students reported being current cigarette smokers.
- Click here for more information.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)
- The NSDUH survey collects data from U.S. persons age 12 or older and also presents data specific to underage adolescents (i.e., 12 to 17 year olds).
- State Level Data
- 2003-2004 Tables for Any Tobacco Product Use in Past Month and Cigarette Use in Past Month, by Age Group and State, based on 2003 and 2004 NSDUHs, can be accessed by clicking the links below:
- 2002-2003 Figures of Past Month Tobacco Product Use and Cigarette Use by State can be found at
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- The YRBSS site allows for search of the YRBSS National database as well as for each state.
- Click here for information on a variety of health behaviors (including dietary behaviors, physical activity, violence, sexual behaviors, and substance use).
- Tobacco Use items include:
- Lifetime and current cigarette use
- Frequency of current use
- Initiation
- Smoked > 10 cigarettes/day
- Lifetime daily use
- Smoking on school property
- Attempt to quit smoking
- Cigarette purchasing behavior
- Other tobacco use (e.g., smokeless, cigars)
1 Note. Not all States have all years represented. For example, New York has tobacco use data reported for 4 years (1997, 1999, 2003, and 2005), while Maryland has tobacco use data reported for only one year (2005).
Maryland State Specific Prevalence Data:
In an effort to reduce tobacco use in the State of Maryland and to lessen negative health consequences resulting from tobacco use, Maryland has enacted legislation to create a new comprehensive Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program.
The Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program provides for surveillance and evaluation of Maryland's accomplishments in the prevention and cessation of tobacco use. This is partly achieved through surveys aimed at assessing tobacco use for both adolescents (Maryland Youth Tobacco Survey [MYTS]) and adults (Maryland Adult Tobacco Survey [MATS]) in the State of Maryland.
**NEW** Click here to view and download Fact Sheets on Tobacco Use by Youth for all Maryland Counties and Baltimore City brought to you by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
See links below for detailed reports:
- Initial Findings from the Baseline Tobacco Study
- Examines adolescent and adult data derived from the 2000 MYTS and MATS surveys
- Click here for full report
- First Annual Tobacco Study
- Examines adolescent and adult data derived from the 2002 MYTS and MATS surveys, as well as change over time (from 2000 to 2002 surveys), with a focus on Baltimore City and Montgomery County comparisons
- Click here for full report
- Monitoring Changing Tobacco Use Behaviors in Maryland
- Examines change over time (from 2000 to 2002 surveys)
- Click here for full report
- Monitoring Changing Tobacco-use Behaviors in Maryland: A Report on 2000 - 2006 Tobacco Studies
Additional Maryland State Reports (available for download as pdfs):
- Monitoring Changing Tobacco Use Behaviors in Maryland: Maryland Tobacco Surveys of 2000 and 2002.
- Detailed Data Tables for Local Health Department Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Programs, their Grantees, and Coalitions, March 2004
- Prevalence - Youth 1 (Under-age Middle and High School Maryland Youth)
- Click here for full report
- Monitoring Changing Tobacco Use Behaviors in Maryland: Maryland Tobacco Surveys of 2000 and 2002.
- Detailed Data Tables for Local Health Department Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Programs, their Grantees, and Coalitions, June 2004
- Initiation - Youth 2 (Under-age Middle and High School Maryland Youth)
- Click here for full report
- Tobacco-Use Prevention and Cessation and Lung Cancer (Chapter 5).
- Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan, 2004
- Click here for full report
- Monitoring Changing Tobacco Use Behaviors in Maryland: Maryland College Tobacco Survey: Spring 2004.
- Tobacco Use Behaviors and Associated Alcohol Consumption on the Campuses of Maryland's State-Funded Public Four Year Colleges and Universities, March 2005
- Click here for full report
- Making Maryland The Tobacco Free State
- A Report from the Governor's Task Force to End Smoking in Maryland, December 9, 1999
- Click here for full report
