In Louisiana, 17.8% of adults reported “currently smoking” in 2021 — a 0.08% increase from 2020 — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Louisiana ranks 43rd of all the states with a national average of 11.5% of American adults reporting smoking in 2021 — an estimated 28.3 million people.
The highest parishes, the ones with more adults that reported currently smoking in 2021, include: Concordia with 30% of adults currently smoking and East Carroll with 36% of adults currently smoking.
The lowest parishes, the ones with the least percentage of adults that reported smoking in 2021, include: St. Tammany with 17%, St. Charles with 17% and Ascension with 16%.
There are no Louisiana parishes that fall beneath the national average of current adult smokers.
Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., according to the CDC, killing more than 480,000 Americans each year.