Nestled in the heart of Illinois, one town has earned the reigning title of being the city with the highest concentration of cigarette smokers in the state.

Fun fact: I have never smoked a cigarette in my life.  I'm 26 years old and don't even know how to hold, light, or take a puff of a cigarette.  That's a good thing, right?

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Though smoking has decreased over the years as e-cigarettes gained more popularity, nearly 28 million adults across America are still avid cigarette smokers.

Related: This Is The Legal Age In Illinois to Buy Tobacco

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We've all seen the advertisements on television that are geared to help people stop smoking.  Even with all the health warnings and dangers; cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, people will continue to ruin their lungs and take years off their lives just to get a puff.

"Each year, nearly half a million Americans die prematurely of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Another 16 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking." [cdc]

Here's a crazy statistic: The United States spends nearly $225 billion on medical care to treat smoking-related diseases in adults. 

Doesn't seem like that dollar amount will decrease any time soon.

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I was curious to know which cities around the country have the MOST cigarette smokers today.  If I'm wondering, you're probably asking the same question!

18.4% of Janesville & Beloit, Wisconsin residents are active smokers.  Life expectancy is kinda low at 77.6 years old.

According to the state as a whole, only 16.1% of Wisconsin smoke.

Related: Could This Across the Board Ban on Cigarettes Happen in Illinois?

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20.5% of Duluth, Minnestoa residents are active smokers and nearly 12% of them are in poor health.

Surprisingly, only 14.3% of the entire state of Minnesota smoke.

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Read More: Drinking In Illinois: Where Are Booze Sales Banned In The State? 

What about Illinois, though?

I really hope Rockford didn't make the list as the top city in the state with the most smokers.  I have a feeling more people vape and use e-cigarettes here over actual cigarettes.

This Illinois Town Has 'The Most Smokers' In The Entire State

 

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Danville, Illinois ranked #1 in Illinois.  It has a population of roughly 28,000 residents and 22.1% of them smoke cigarettes.  That's nearly 6,100 adults to put it into perspective!

See which other cities made the list here.

Next time you want to buy a pack of cigarettes at the gas station, remember you could be saving a whole lotta money and adding a few more years onto your life.

Danville, Illinois is actually home to a dying retro mall that people can't believe is still open.  With barely any stores left to shop at, we really don't know how it's still operating.  Take a look at the photos below!

Read More: This Dying Retro Mall In Illinois Might Not Be Open Much Longer 

Inside The Dying Village Mall In Danville Illinois

Gallery Credit: Emily

The 25 Smallest Towns in Illinois

These towns are so small, if you blink, you'll miss them.

Gallery Credit: Google Maps

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