Cigarette smoking in Kentucky: progress toward year 2000 objectives and reduction of smoking-attributable mortality

Progress toward state and national Year 2000 Objectives for reduction in smoking prevalence and smoking-attributable mortality were analyzed for Kentucky, a major tobacco-growing state. Phone survey data indicated a 0.6% annual decrease in smoking prevalence from 1985 to 1992. This decrease is not sufficient to achieve state or national Year 2000 Objectives. As in other studies, an inverse relationship between education and smoking was found. The results also indicate that 23% of the state's deaths are attributable to smoking. Until there is a greater decline in smoking prevalence in Kentucky, the state will continue to experience an excess of smoking-attributable deaths each year compared to most other states.