Bartholomew County’s adults are smoking less than before, and less than the rest of the state, on average. That’s welcome news.
The local smoking rate has dropped from 26 percent in 1996 to 15 percent now – an 11 percentage point drop in about 20 years, according to Columbus Regional Hospital statistics, which is an encouraging trend.
Bartholomew County’s current rate also is comfortably below the state rate of 21 percent.
The two statistics show that smoking-cessation efforts and smoking awareness campaigns are working. More people are understanding the dangers of smoking, which by far (87 percent) is the leading cause of lung cancer.
Indiana Youth Institute data also shows that smoking among teens has declined dramatically over the past 30 years.
That’s all good news considering the impact smoking has on someone’s health and pocketbook.
Besides the amount individuals pay for their habit, the costs to the community are significant. Each Indiana household pays $1,125 in taxes to cover smoking-related expenses, according to the Alliance for a Healthier Indiana.
While Bartholomew County has made good progress on reducing local smoking rates, a continued drop in smoking is needed to further reduce the impact.
Lessons learned from smoking can also be applied to vaping, which is popular among teens. Although vaping doesn’t use tobacco, it can still lead to an addiction to nicotine — as tobacco does.
Bartholomew County has made significant strides in reducing its smoking rate. But efforts must continue to encourage more teens and adults to make healthier decisions regarding tobacco and nicotine.
