Alabama ranks eighth nationally in smoking-related deaths, according to a federal study.

While the state is one of the worst when it comes to deaths related to tobacco use, average annual deaths attributable to smoking in Alabama decreased 5.9 percent between 2000-2004 compared to 1996-99, when it also ranked eighth worst, according to a recently published report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, the median decrease was 24.8 percent during that span.

Overall, the average annual deaths caused by smoking cigarettes in Alabama fell to 317.5 per 100,000 residents aged 35 or older in the quadrennial ending in 2004, down from 323.5 in 2000. Smoking deaths fell 32.6 percent for Alabama men but rose 8.2 percent for women.

Every state showed progress during the eight-year study period, with 45 states showing improvement of at least 10 percent and 27 states improving by at least 20 percent. Kentucky had the most smoking-caused deaths (370.6 per 100,000) followed by West Virginia (344.3) and Nevada (343.7). Southeastern states Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi also had average smoking deaths topping 300.

Utah led the nation with 138.3 smoking caused deaths per 100,000 residents.