El Paso County is the population center, with an estimated 755,000. Lung cancer deaths also were significantly lower in El Paso County in 1996 with 44 men per 100,000 compared with the state average of 73, and 25 per 100,000 women compared with the state average of 34. Barry Wilson, an epidemiologist with the Texas Department of Health's Cancer Registry was asked why more smokers in other groups don't pay attention to the risk. It's the same concept here. Smokers are 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer, or have a 900 percent increased risk.
Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society.