The American Cancer Society is calling on Americans to pledge to live smoke-free lives.
Thursday, November 20th, marks the organization’s 50th year hosting the Great American Smokeout.
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Cigarettes remain the leading cause of lung cancer, despite reported decreases in the behavior nationwide in recent years. Cigarettes cause an estimated 90% of lung cancer cases, according to the American Cancer Society.
North Carolinians who smoke have an estimated 14 cigarettes per day, according to the American Cancer Society’s new U.S. Tobacco Atlas.
The digital tool aims to reduce smoking by educating people on the health risks and economic burden associated with the behavior.
Dr. Bruce Waldholtz, a gastroenterologist and American Cancer Society volunteer, said millions of Americans are not receiving recommended screenings.
“Only 18% of Americans who meet the criteria for lung cancer screening are being screened, in comparison to the ceiling we’re hitting of about 80% in breast cancer screenings,” Waldholtz said.
The physician told WRAL he hopes the data included in the U.S. Tobacco Atlas will reduce the likelihood that someone will begin, or continue, smoking.
“We know in North Carolina about 8,800 people are going to develop lung cancer and about 4,900 are going to lose their lives in the battle with lung cancer,” said Waldholtz. “We also know, unfortunately there is second-hand smoke responsible nationwide for about 24,000 cases of lung cancer.”
The online tool also highlights risks associated with e-cigarette use. An estimated 1.63 million youth nationwide admitted using e-cigarettes in 2024, a decrease from recent years.
“The challenges are youth are going along with flavored products for vaping,” said Waldholtz. “90% of youth favor flavored products. We need to do better at getting people to quit smoking.”
The American Cancer Society reports communities that are more likely to have higher smoking rates include:
- People at lower socioeconomic levels
- Those without college degrees
- American Indians/Alaska natives
- African American/Black communities
- LGBTQ+ communities
- People serving in the military
- People with mental health conditions
Those looking for additional resources for quitting smoking are invited to join Empowered to Quit, an email-based smoking cessation program through the American Cancer Society.