FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE)- The state of Indiana received over 130-million dollars last week from tobacco product manufacturers as part of an ongoing national settlement agreement. According to the CDC, U.S. cigarette smoking rates have dropped to another all-time low. However, in northeast Indiana, the percentage of smokers beats national rates.
According to the non-profit organization Tobacco Free Allen County, the adult smoking rate in Indiana is 19.4% compared to 11% nationwide. In Allen County , around 20% of adults smoke. The high school tobacco use rate is 22.9% and that’s all tobacco products combined together. But the majority of teen use is vaping. The organization reports that 5.2% of Indiana high school students smoke, more than double the 2% U.S. teen smoking rate, and 18.5% of Indiana teens vape.