US cigarette consumption

As cigarette consumption has declined, youth organized sports participation has also declined, a correlation of 0.978 that suggests either that kids who do not smoke also do not play sports, or that both trends measure the same screen-captivated generation that has replaced all physical activities—tobacco-related and athletic—with digital ones. The cigarette goes out, the cleats stay in the closet, and both trends trace the same migration from physical to digital experience.

Cigarette consumption declined between 2008 and 2015 as anti-smoking campaigns reduced smoking rates. Youth sports participation also declined as screen time increased, pay-to-play costs rose, and early specialization drove casual players out. Both are eight-year declines driven by the same generational shift: away from physical activities and toward digital entertainment. The smartphone replaced both the cigarette break and the pickup game.

Eight years of fewer cigarettes and fewer young athletes is a correlation that captures the same generational shift from different angles: a youth population that is simultaneously healthier (less smoking) and less active (less sports), having traded both for the screen that replaced all other forms of stimulation. The lighter is pocketed, the jersey is hung up, and the phone is in both hands.