The American Cancer Society (ACS) has released its U.S. Tobacco Atlas, a digital resource that offers comprehensive data and insights on tobacco use, tobacco control policies, and their impact.
While the Atlas reported that cigarette smoking among U.S. adults dropped from 42% in 1965 to 11% in 2023, researchers also found that only 18.1% of eligible adults who currently smoke or formerly smoked were current on lung cancer screening in 2022.
The data showed that screening rates were lowest in Southern states, which have both the highest lung cancer burden and worst healthcare access issues in the U.S.
Current ACS lung cancer screening guidelines, updated in 2023, recommend annual screening for adults between the ages of 50 and 80 who are current or former smokers with a 20-year or higher pack-year smoking history, regardless of their quit date. A pack-year is equal to smoking one pack (or about 20 cigarettes) per day for a year, the ACS explained.
The U.S. Tobacco Atlas is available online.
