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In the United States, an estimated 25.1 million men (23.4 percent) and 20.9 million women (18.5 percent) are smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

Among non-Hispanic whites:
24.1% of men and 20.4% of women smoke (2004).
Among non-Hispanic blacks:
23.9% of men and 17.2% of women smoke.
Among Hispanics:
18.9% of men and 10.9% of women smoke.
Among Asians (only):
17.8% of men and 4.8% of women smoke.
Among American Indians/Alaska Natives:
37.3% men and 28.5% of women smoke.
Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher among those:
who had earned a GED diploma - 46%;
with 9-11 years of education - 35.4%;
with undergraduate degree - 9.6%;
with graduate degree - 6.6%.
It's highest among persons living below the poverty level:
(29.1%).
90% of adult smokers are hooked as teens:
Each day, in the United States alone, over 4,400 kids (nearly 1.5 million a year), as young as 8 years old, start smoking.
Menthol cigarettes are being frequently preferred by young smokers:
An estimated 80 percent of African-American teenage smokers pick menthol brands.
Tobacco companies know that one of the most effective ways to boost sales is to make cigarettes more palatable to first-time smokers by disguising the unpleasant taste of inhaled smoke and adding a fresh, minty flavor and cooling effect. They also know that menthol flavoring may make it more difficult for smokers to quit.
African Americans have long been targeted by marketing campaigns for menthol cigarettes.
Nearly 75% of African-American smokers use menthol cigarettes:
A recent survey found that among teen smokers, 81 percent of African Americans smoke menthol cigarettes compared to only 32 percent of Whites and 45 percent of Hispanics.
More than 47,000 blacks die each year from smoking-related diseases and thousands more are crippled by smoking-related ailments.
More black women get lung cancer than breast cancer and black men are 50 percent more likely to get lung cancer than white men.

* National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2004, National Center for Health Statistics and NHLBI