An Overview of Tobacco Use, Treatment, and Policy Implications in the Rural United States

Rural communities face higher tobacco use rates which results in higher rates of smoking related illness and death (Talbot et al., 2019). To reduce the burden of tobacco on rural Americans, we need robust support in these communities (Talbot et al., 2019). A renewed focus on rural tobacco use and its consequences would have significant positive impacts (Moy et al., 2017; Talbot et al., 2019). Currently there is a substantial amount of research on tobacco use and cessation, however, more research is needed in rural communities. This paper will explore four categories for future research in rural tobacco control including policy, cessation, harm reduction, and primary care providers.

Tobacco, but primarily cigarettes, remains the leading cause of preventable disease in the US, claiming 480,000 lives per year and affecting an additional 16 million smokers who suffer from smoking-related chronic diseases (“Smoking and Tobacco Use,” 2020). Tobacco use varies by region within the United States (US), with the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking in rural areas at 28.5% versus urban areas at 25.1%, and small metropolitan areas at 22.0% (“Tobacco Use by Geographic Region,” 2019). Higher rates of tobacco use in rural communities may contribute to a rural-urban mortality gap (Moy et al., 2017; Singh & Siahpush, 2014; Talbot et al., 2019). A 2019 study indicated that between 1999 and 2014, rural residents had higher mortality rates from causes of death that are all…