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New Study: The Number of Virginia Smokers is Now Below the National Average

AP Photo / Gerry Broome

Virginia was once the epicenter of the smoking industry. But now, the number of people using cigarettes in Virginia is dropping.

“You get a lot to like with a Marlboro...”

Jingles like that one were once common on TV and radio along with advertising icons like the Marlboro Man. They made Virginia the center of the tobacco industry.

Now those days are long gone, according to new statistics from the County Health Rankings, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin. They show only 15% of people in Virginia are smokers. That’s below the national average of 17%.

“In the state of Virginia specifically, they’ve spent a lot of effort establishing smoke-free policies and promoting tobacco cessation and supporting tobacco users in quitting,” says Aliana Havrilla, an action learning coach with the collaboration.

The lowest percentage of smokers in Virginia is in Fairfax County, where only 10% of people smoke. Some parts of Virginia refuse to kick the habit, though. 24% of people in Emporia smoke, and 23% of folks in Radford are still lighting up.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

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Michael Pope is an author and journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria.
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