by Chris Zahn
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – Cigarette use in Arkansas continues to rise. In 2016 23.6 percent of adults smoked, according to True Initiative. Nationally, the rate was 17.1 percent.
In 2017, 13.7 percent of high school students smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days. The national percentage is 8.8 percent.
Arkansas is ranked 34th in the United States in cigarette tax at a price of $1.15. When comparing it to the national average of $1.73 on average Arkansans pay 58 cents less than the rest of the country.
The CDC estimates 51.3 percent of daily adult smokers in Arkansas quit smoking for one or more days in 2016. Which means Arkansans are quitting, but not permanently. Statistically after quitting and starting again a phase is hit where cigarettes could be binged.
Arkansas does not have a private insurance mandate provision for quitting tobacco.