Ohio, Kentucky Rank Among Top 10 States in Smoking-Related Deaths

Ohioans and Kentuckians are still dying in large numbers due to smoking-related illnesses and health complications.

In a recent study by NiceRx, Ohio was ranked at No. 8 on a list of U.S. states with the highest smoking-related deaths, with 171 per 100,000 adults in the state dying in 2019.

Ohio is also home to a large population of smokers overall: 20.8%, according to the NiceRx study, which placed Ohio at No. 4 among U.S. states with the highest smoking rates.

However, Ohio ranked lower in both categories in comparison to Kentucky. Overall, Kentucky ranked No. 2 for highest smoking rates, with 23.6% of its population identifying as smokers. The state is just 0.2% lower than the No. 1 slot occupied by West Virginia.

Kentucky also ranked at No. 2 with the highest amount of smoking-related deaths, following closely behind West Virginia again despite their vast population differences. The study found that 197 per 100,000 adults die from smoking-related causes in 2019.

To conduct the study, NiceRx utilized the World Population Review U.S. State ranking to compile its findings. Additionally, the organization utilized research from the Tobacco Free Kids to calculate the data on smoking-related deaths.

***
Sign up for Scene's weekly newsletters to get the latest on Cleveland news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to your inbox.