Smoking Habits of Men and Women

Between October, 1959, and February, 1960, approximately 1,085,000 people in 25 States answered questionnaires which included questions on smoking habits. The present study is based on a sample of 43,068 of these subjects. Some of the findings were as follows: Exposure to cigarette smoke is far less in the female than in the male population, as indicated by percent of heavy cigarette smokers, degree of inhalation, nicotine and tar content of cigarettes, and age at which smoking was begun. Cigar and pipe smokers tend to inhale the smoke to a far lesser degree than do cigarette smokers. A larger proportion of college graduates than those with less education have given up cigarette smoking, and a larger proportion smoke low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes. The proportion of cigarette smokers is less in farmers, teachers, members of the legal profession, clergymen, doctors, dentists, and veterinarians than in the general population. The proportion of ex-cigarette smokers and of men smoking low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes is higher in these occupational groups (except farmers) than in the general population.