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Fact Sheet

Hispanics and Tobacco

(May 2007)

An estimated 40.4 million Americans (14.0%) are of Latin American or other Spanish descent,¹ and Hispanic Americans are the nation's second-largest racial/ethnic group.² The number of Hispanics is projected to increase to 66 million by 2030 and to 97 million by 2050.³ Most Hispanic Americans are of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or South/Central American ancestry.⁴ Although Hispanic Americans have settled across the United States, 77% reside in one of seven states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.⁴

Health Effects

• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Hispanics.⁵ Deaths from lung cancer are 2.3 times as high for Hispanic men (33.4 per 100,000 persons) as they are for Hispanic women (14.3 per 100,000 ).⁶
• For Hispanic American men, deaths rates for lung cancer are highest among Cuban-Americans, followed by Puerto Ricans and then Mexican-Americans.⁵

Prevalence of Tobacco Use

• Nationally, an estimated 16.2% of Hispanic adults smoke cigarettes, versus 13.3% of Asian Americans, 21.9% of whites, 21.5% of African Americans, and 32.0% of American Indians/ Alaska Natives.⁷ An estimated 20.9% of adults in the United States currently smoke cigarettes.⁷
• Among men, an estimated 21.1% of Hispanics are current cigarette smokers, versus 20.6% of Asian Americans, 24.0% of whites, 26.7% of African Americans, and 37.5% of American Indians/Alaska Natives.⁷
• Among women, an estimated 11.1% of Hispanics are current smokers, versus 6.1% of Asian Americans, 20.0% of whites, 17.3% of African Americans, and 26.8% of American Indians/Alaska Natives.⁷
• The estimate for current cigarette smoking among Hispanics in grades 9 through 12 is 22.0%, versus 12.9% for African Americans and 25.9% for whites.⁸ Nationally, the estimate for persons in grades 9–12 is 23.0%.⁸
• An estimated 24.8% of Hispanic males in grades 9 through 12 are current cigarette smokers, versus 14.0% of African American males and 24.9% of white males in these grades.⁸ Nationally, the estimate for all males in grades 9–12 is 22.9%.⁸
• An estimated 19.2% of Hispanic females in grades 9 through 12 are current cigarette smokers, compared with 11.9% of African American females and 27.0% of white females in these grades.8 Nationally, the estimate for all females in grades 9–12 is 23.0%.⁸
• An estimated 9.9% of Hispanic middle school students are current cigarette smokers, versus 8.5% of white, 7.6% of African American, and 2.7% of Asian American middle school students.⁹ The estimate for all middle school students is 8.4%.⁹
• Estimates among adults for current cigar smoking are 4.6% for Hispanics, 6.0% for whites, 6.9% for African Americans, 10.9% for American Indians/Alaska Natives, and 1.8% for Asian Americans.¹⁰ The overall national estimate for adults is 5.8%.¹⁰
• Estimates for current use of smokeless tobacco among adults are 1.1% for Hispanics, 0.6% for Asian Americans, 1.9% for African Americans, 4.0% for whites, and 8.6% for American Indians/Alaska Natives.¹¹ The national estimate for adults is 3.3%.¹¹
• Among students in grades 9–12, an estimated 14.9% of Hispanics, 10.3% of African Americans, and 14.6% of whites are current cigar smokers.⁸ Nationally, an estimated 14.0% of students in grades 9–12 are current cigar smokers.⁸
• Among middle school students, an estimated 8.2% of Hispanics, 6.9% of African Americans, 4.4% of whites, and 1.2% of Asian Americans are current cigar smokers.⁹ Nationally, an estimated 5.3% of l middle school students are current cigar smokers.⁹
• Among male students in grades 9–12, an estimated 8.6% of Hispanics, 3.0% of African Americans, and 17.6% of whites are current users of smokeless tobacco.⁸ Nationally, an estimated 13.6% of high school males are current users of smokeless tobacco .⁸
• An estimated 3.8% of Hispanic middle school students are current users of smokeless tobacco, as are 3.0% of whites, 2.0% of African Americans, and 1.0% of Asian Americans in middle school.⁹ Nationally, an estimated 2.8% of middle school students are users of smokeless tobacco.⁹

Cessation of Tobacco Use

• An estimated 61.5% of Hispanic adults who are current smokers want to quit, as do 70.3% of white, 70.7% of African American, and 68.8% of Asian American current adult smokers. Nationally, an estimated 69.5% of current adult smokers want to quit smoking.¹²
• The percentage of current Hispanic smokers who quit for at least 1 day during the previous year is 41.1%, versus 41.6% of whites, 48.0% of Asian Americans, and 49.0% of African Americans. Nationally, 42.5% of all current smokers quit for at least 1 day during the previous year.¹²

Influence of the Tobacco Industry

• The tobacco industry has contributed to primary and secondary schools, funded universities and colleges, and supported scholarship programs targeting Hispanics and Latinos. Tobacco companies have also placed advertising in community publications and sponsored Hispanic cultural events.⁵
• Tobacco products are advertised and promoted disproportionately to Hispanics and other racial/ethnic minority communities. Examples of targeted promotions include the introduction of cigarette brands with names such as “Rio" and "Dorado," both of which were advertised and marketed to the Hispanic American community.⁵

Referencess

1. United States Census Bureau. Population by Sex, Age, Hispanic Origin and Race: 2004 [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hispanic/
   ASEC2004/2004CPS_tab1.1a.html.
2. United States Census Bureau. Quick Tables: Race and Hispanic or Latino, 2000. Washington, DC: United States Department of Commerce, United States Census Bureau [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=n&_lang=en&qr_
   name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_QTP3&ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&geo_id=01000US.
3. United States Census Bureau. Population Projections of the United States by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1995 to 2050. Current Population Reports. P25-1130. Washington, DC: United States Department of Commerce, United States Census Bureau, 1996 [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://www.census.gov/prod/1/pop/p25-1130/.
4. United States Census Bureau. Census 2000 Brief: The Hispanic Population.
   (PDF–509KB) Washington, DC: United States Department of Commerce, United States Census Bureau, 2001 [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://www.census.gov/
   prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-3.pdf.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups—African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1998 [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/
   data_statistics/sgr/sgr_1998/index.htm.
6. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2002 with Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Table 40, pp. 151-153. Hyattsville, MD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2002 [cited 2007 May 10].
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use Among Adults—United States, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weeekly Report [serial online]. 2006;55(42):1145-1148 [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/
   mm5542a1.htm.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weeekly Report [serial online]. Surveillance Summaries 2006;55(SS-05):1-108 [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5505a1.htm#tab27.
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use, Access, and Exposure To Tobacco in Media Among Middle and High School Students—United States, 2004. Morbidity and Mortality Weeekly Report [serial online]. 2005:4(12):297–301 [cited 2007 May 10]. Updated tables available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/surveys/
   NYTS/correctionnotice.htm.
10. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Office of Applied Studies. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004 and 2005. (PDF–58KB) [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k5nsduh/tabs/Sect2peTabs42to46.pdf.
11. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Office of Applied Studies. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004 and 2005. (PDF–57KB) [cited 2007 May 10]. Available from: http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k5nsduh/tabs/Sect2peTabs37to41.pdf.
12. National Center for Health Statistics. Data File Documentation, National Health Interview Survey, 2005 (machine-readable data file and documentation). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006 [cited 2007 May 10].

For Further Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO

Media Inquiries: Contact CDC's Office on Smoking and Health press line at 770-488-5493.

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