HIgher level of education the lower the smoking rates; also rich or poor non-smokers are happier..

August 28, 2010 - States whose populations have higher levels of educational attainment have lower smoking rates, and residents of states with high cigarette taxes are also less likely to smoke than their counterparts in states with low cigarette taxes.

Click on U.S. map in the reference below to see smoking rates for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. From the map you can see, the 10 states with the highest smoking rates — where a quarter or more of the population smokes — are in the South or Midwest.

Reference: United States of Smokers by CATHERINE RAMPELL, The New York Times, 8/27/2010.

Also. Rich or Poor, Nonsmokers Are Happier..

Lest there be any doubt about the wisdom of smoking, new survey data has found that smokers are less happy than nonsmokers across all income levels.

The chart in the reference below shows the difference between the emotional health of smokers versus nonsmokers in four income groups, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. It is based on 10 different self-reported factors, like smiling or laughing a lot, learning or doing something interesting, and experiencing sadness or worry.

Reference: Rich or Poor, Nonsmokers Are Happier by CATHERINE RAMPELL, The New York Times, November 19, 2009.