Europe tends to have the highest smoking rates in the world, with Austria being the country with the highest percentage of smokers. Approximately 47% of the country’s adult population are smokers, according to 2009 World Health Organization (WHO) findings. Russia also has one of the highest percentages of smokers, with around 40% of adults being smokers. In comparison, the smoking rate in the United States is around 19%. Very low-income countries are typically the least likely to smoke. For example, less than 4% of Ethiopian adults smoke. However, smoking rates in developing countries are projected to increase by 3.4% each year, according to the Action on Health and Smoking.
More about smoking:
- The first crop grown for commercial purposes in North America was tobacco in Jamestown, Virginia in 1612 and tobacco profits were partially used to fund the American Revolution.
- After World War II, the rate of women smokers in the US increased dramatically, from around 18% in 1935 to 36% in 1944.
- Norway has the highest priced cigarettes in the world at approximately $15 US Dollars (USD) per pack, according to 2013 findings.
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Discussion Comments
It would be interesting to know what the ill-health rates are for Austria and Russia, i.e. rate of lung cancer, bladder cancer, or diseases associated with high alcohol use.
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