Match Coalition

An estimated 45 million American adults currently smoke cigarettes.

Nearly 90% of adult smokers begin while in their teens.

Every year, cigarette smoking kills 1 in 5 (443,000) people in the U.S.

Smoking accounts for at least 30% of cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer deaths.

8.6 million people in the United States currently suffer from a smoking-related illness.

Nearly 50,000 of adult non-smokers die each year from exposure to second hand smoke

Secondhand smoke exposure costs the U.S. $4.98 billion in healthcare expenditures each year.

Tobacco costs the U.S. more than $96 billion in health care expenditures each year.

The tobacco industry spends $10.5 billion on marketing its products nationwide.

The average pack of cigarettes in the United States costs $5.29 (including sales tax).

75% of workplaces in the United States have smoke-free policies.

15.4% of adults smoke in Connecticut.

16.2% of adult men smoke in Connecticut.

14.7% of adult women smoke in Connecticut.

24% of people 18 to 24 years old smoke in Connecticut.

Each year 4,700 people in Connecticut die from smoking.

Each year 440 people die from secondhand smoke exposure in Connecticut.

In 2008 155.8 million packs of cigarettes were sold to Connecticut residents.

The average retail cost of a pack of cigarettes in Connecticut is $7.45.

In Connecticut cigarette taxes are $3.40, the 3rd  highest in the nation.

Annual health care costs in Connecticut directly caused by smoking: $1.63 billion.

Portion covered by the state Medicaid program: $430 million.

Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures: $665 per household.

Productivity losses: $1.03 billion.

Each year tobacco companies spend $98.4 million on tobacco product marketing in Connecticut.

70% of Connecticut’s smokers indicate they want to quit.

45% of Connecticut’s smokers attempt to quit each year.

5% of Connecticut smokers are successful for longer than 12 months.

Each year nearly 4,000 kids in the United States try their first cigarette.

Each day 1,000+ kids become regular, daily smokers.

There are nearly 400,000 new underage daily smokers in this country each year.

20 percent of high school students are current smokers by the time they leave high school.

Kids consume 800 million packs of cigarettes each year.

Tobacco companies market to kids as young as 14 years old.

More than 15.5 million kids are exposed to secondhand smoke at home.

Each year 4,300 kids begin smoking in Connecticut.

More than 30,000 high school students smoke tobacco.

Each year kids buy 7 million packs of cigarettes.

Each year 186,000 kids are exposed to secondhand smoke in Connecticut.

76,000 kids will ultimately die prematurely from smoking.