Tobacco smoking: a survey in a community with excess lung cancer

Duval County, Florida (Jacksonville) has had one of the highest lung cancer mortality rates among large US cities in recent decades. This survey was conducted to determine whether this might be due in part to higher prevalence or amount of smoking. Telephone interviews using a random digit dialing technique were conducted with 3,105 residents. Questions on cigarette smoking were taken from national surveys, and Jacksonville rates were compared with US rates. The percentage of persons in Jacksonville who had ever smoked was similar to the national percentage. Among whites, however, the prevalence of current smokers was slightly higher, and of heavy smokers was significantly higher, than national rates for whites; while among blacks, smoking prevalence and amount were below national rates for blacks. Up to one third of the excess lung cancer mortality rates in male and female whites in Jacksonville might be accounted for by the heavier amounts smoked by residents.