JACKSON — Mississippi ranks eighth in the nation for exposure to risk factors associated with lung disease, according to a new study that examined smoking rates, secondhand smoke exposure, smoke-free laws and air pollution across all 50 states.
The study, conducted by The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com, gave Mississippi a Lung Risk Score of 72.2 out of 100, compared with a national score of 46.4.
Mississippi had the nation’s fourth-highest adult smoking rate in 2022, with 17.4% of adults reporting that they smoked, compared with 12.8% nationally.
Children in Mississippi also face higher exposure to secondhand smoke. The study found that 15.3% of children in the state live in households where someone smokes, compared with 10.3% nationwide.
Another factor contributing to Mississippi’s ranking is the state’s limited smoke-free protections. According to the research, only 31.9% of Mississippi residents are covered by comprehensive laws prohibiting smoking in workplaces, restaurants and bars. Nationally, that figure is 62.7%.
Air pollution also played a role. Mississippi’s average concentration of fine particle pollution from 2022 through 2024 was 8.6 micrograms per cubic meter, compared with the national average of 7.9. That placed Mississippi ninth among the states for that measure.
Despite those figures, Mississippi has made progress in reducing adult smoking. The percentage of adults who smoke dropped from 26% in 2011 to 17.4% in 2022.
Karen Selby, a registered nurse and patient advocate at Asbestos.com, said the combination of childhood exposure to cigarette smoke and limited smoke-free protections raises concerns about long-term health consequences.
“Seeing a high percentage of children living in smoking households alongside weak smoke-free laws is a red flag for the future of general public health in certain states,” Selby said.
She warned that exposure to smoke at a young age, combined with environmental hazards, could contribute to lasting lung damage.
Arkansas ranked highest for lung disease risk factors, with a score of 83.5, followed by Tennessee, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama and Pennsylvania. Mississippi ranked just ahead of Louisiana and Missouri.
Utah had the lowest risk score at 13.3, followed by Hawaii and Massachusetts.
Researchers examined 6,394 data points using information from federal health surveys, government air quality monitors and smoke-free law records. The study considered adult smoking rates, children’s exposure to smoking in the home, the percentage of residents covered by comprehensive smoke-free laws and average fine particle pollution.
The Lung Risk Score measures exposure to factors associated with lung disease rather than the number of people diagnosed with lung conditions.
The study used data collected across several years, with its most recent information gathered through September 2026.
The full research was released by The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com.
