America’s Pulse: Public Opinion On Health And Wellness

After years of cultural health and wellness efforts, reinforced by liberal anti-tobacco legislation, fewer Americans than ever now say they smoke cigarettes. However, while many understand the risks, they also disagree with legislation, with fewer Americans supporting efforts geared towards smoking being outlawed completely.

A new Rasmussen survey found that only 10 percent of American adults report that they currently smoke, which is the lowest in nearly 5 years of Rasmussen surveying the question. More Americans than ever, 60 percent, now say they have never smoked, while 30 percent used to smoke but have at some point quit.

This is also reflected in the fact that most Americans think that even though someone is old enough to vote or die for their country, they’re not mature enough yet to decide whether they want to smoke. Ironic and surprising, sure to some extent, but to Americans it isn’t a matter of freedom, it is a matter of health.

Cigarettes are now viewed more risky to one’s health, with Americans viewing both alcohol and cigarettes to be more dangerous than marijuana. As such, 44 percent of American adults say marijuana should be legalized, with 42 percent saying no. Americans are still relatively divided on whether or not to legalize marijuana, but the latest results actually represent a sleigh, yet statistically insignificant shift toward legalization, as the previous survey showed the public split at 45 percent.

What has remained constant, is that most think it should be up to the states to decide, not the federal government.

As far as alcohol consumption, a significant amount of Americans — 29 percent — say that they never drink alcohol, and 46 percent say that drinking and driving laws are not tough enough.

Overall, the vast majority of Americans — 70 percent — believe they are healthy, however, just over 1 in 3 admits to being overweight, which we know is far from the reality. Most studies say that obesity is rampant, with anywhere from 60 – 68 percent of Americans being overweight.

A new high, 88 percent, of American adults say childhood obesity is “at least a somewhat serious” problem in the United States today, including 49 percent who see it as a “Very Serious” issue. And 73 percent of Americans know that children in the United States are more obese than in other countries.

But not everyone is convinced that government should do anything about it. Though a slight uptick, just 39 percent of American adults would like to see government address the problem, while nearly as many do not, or do not even believe it is a serious problem.

Michelle Obama has made a big issue over school lunches, but just 23 percent think that the federal government should have any say in the issue, with a whopping 92 percent opposing any form of a ban on school lunches prepared from home and brought to school.

October was Breast Cancer Awareness month, and only 1 in 4 American adults think a cure is right around the corner, while over half have contributed to the fight, with 26 percent saying we will find a cure for cancer within the next 10 years. Unfortunately, 40 percent still do not expect a cure for cancer that soon, but a sizable 34 percent are not sure.

Americans overwhelmingly, 81 percent, say they trust their doctor, with 74 percent saying they have a doctor that they see on a regular basis. Most Americans, too, visit a doctor at least once a year — also 81 percent — including 54 percent who visit more than once a year, and the majority of them spend 30 minutes or more with them. Frequent visits are greater than you might expect, with 11 percent visiting the doctor every month, while another 2 percent go several times a month, and just 16 percent rarely or never going to a doctor.

Both Gallup and Rasmussen reported findings showing 53 percent of Americans oppose the president’s health care law — ObamaCare — while the spread for Gallup was a bit wider, with only 41 percent saying they have any favorable inclination toward the law. Pew Research Center showed just 39 percent favored or approved of ObamaCare, while 56 opposed or disapproved.

The People’s Pundit Daily average disapproval rating for ObamaCare now stands at Disapprove +9.