U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for January 11

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 11: CIGARETTES AND HEALTH

Profile America -- Tuesday, January 11th.  A widely accepted habit of many generations of Americans came under official attack on this day in 1964.  That's when Surgeon General Luther Terry issued the first government report that smoking may be dangerous to health.  Over the years since, further warnings have dealt with the effects of smoking on rates of lung cancer, heart disease and low birth weight for babies.  At the same time, smoking has been banned from an increasing number of public places.  Now, just under 20 percent of adult Americans smoke.  Kentucky has the highest proportion of smokers at slightly over 28 percent, while Utah has the lowest at less than 12 percent.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 81

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 199, 200

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau