January/February 2003
Note: This publication has been individually transmitted to state tobacco program managers, ASTHO affiliates, and other tobacco prevention professionals. You are encouraged to forward all or part of this publication to STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS, COALITION MEMBERS, and OTHER PARTNERS. The Tobacco Free Press is produced by ASTHO under Cooperative Agreement N.U50/CCU306138-07 with the CDC Office on Smoking and Health. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTENTS:
·
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
– State Legislative Watch
b
Challenge on Clean Indoor
Air
The SmokeLess States National Tobacco Policy Initiative and other public health organizations challenged mayors and municipal officials to support strong clean indoor air laws to protect the public from the dangers of secondhand smoke. The challenge was issued at a press conference during the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. Mayors who have supported strong clean indoor air laws were also recognized for their efforts.
Alabama
Montgomery Mayor
Bobby Bright vetoed a city council ordinance banning smoking in restaurants and
other public places because it was not strong enough. The Montgomery City Council voted to amend an ordinance
originally passed in November 2002. The
amendment banned smoking public places including restaurants, bars, clubs, and
bowling alleys, but allowed smoking between 9pm and 5am. The mayor wants the city council to pass an
ordinance that bans smoking in public places 24 hours a day, similar to the
original regulation passed in November.
Georgia
On December 19, 2002, the DeKalb County Commission passed a smoking ban in public places, including restaurants. Smokers who violate the ordinance will be fined, but businesses will face no penalties. The ordinance went into effect on February 17, 2003. In addition, the Grayson City Council passed an ordinance that bans smoking in public places, including restaurants.
Michigan
Washtenaw County passed the strongest clean indoor air regulation in the state in November 2002. The regulation prohibits smoking in all public places and workplaces in the county, including bingo halls and bowling alleys (not including portions of such facilities which are licensed as food service establishments). The regulation excludes bars and restaurants. The regulation will go into effect February 18, 2003.
Three large health
care facilities in West Michigan have signed a contract to implement smokefree
campus policies together on May 30, 2003. This is the first citywide
"Smokefree Hospital Campuses" collaboration in the country and
includes an alliance developed among 3 competing health centers.
For more information, contact
Mikelle Robinson, Tobacco Control Program Manager, at RobinsonMik@michigan.gov.
Missouri
Through voluntary policies, 70 percent of restaurants in Maryville, population 10,663, have become smokefree. Citizens for Smoke Free Nodaway County is ready to take it this to the next level through enactment of a city ordinance banning smoking in all restaurants. It would be the first such ordinance in Missouri. A hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for late February 2003. In addition, Tobacco-Free Missouri is supporting a bill to ban smoking on all city-owned and -leased property, including Lambert International Airport. St. Louis University and University of California-Berkeley are conducting air quality tests in Lambert Field.
For more information, contact Jim McDonald, Missouri Tobacco Use Prevention
Program, at McdonJ1@dhss.state.mo.us.
New Mexico
Albuquerque Mayor Chavez vetoed an ordinance passed by the city council in January 2003 that bans smoking in most public places, including restaurants and restaurant bars. Stand-alone bars and retail tobacco shops were exempt. The mayor has put forth his own proposal, which would ban smoking in restaurants. Restaurants with bars would require separate ventilation, while restaurants with bars located in the middle of the restaurant could allow smoking after 9 p.m. for up to three years. Afterwards, they must meet the same ventilation requirements.
The Las Cruces clean indoor air ordinance will be put to a vote of the people on March 18, 2003. The City Council strengthened the existing ordinance on October 7, 2002 by banning smoking in all public places, including bars, private clubs, bowling alleys, and within 50 feet of entrances to public buildings. The new ordinance was suspended after opponents collected more than 1,500 petition signatures.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma State Department of Health established a Web site to offer resources to employers, workers, policy makers and the general public on the subject of secondhand tobacco smoke. The website, www.breatheeasyok.com, includes information on the health effects of secondhand tobacco smoke, information and quotes from the tobacco industry, and current Oklahoma laws on smoking in public places and workplaces.
Texas
The Dallas City Council adopted a sweeping ordinance
in January 2003 that bans smoking in most public places, including all
restaurants and restaurants with bars. Stand-alone bars are exempt. The ordinance is the most restrictive in the
Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, also prohibiting smoking in hotels, city-owned
facilities, private clubs with eating establishments, bowling alleys, and bingo
parlors. In passing the ordinance, Dallas becomes the only major metroplex city
that bans smoking in all restaurants. The ordinance
goes into effect March 1, 2003.
For more information, contact April Ferrino,
Office
of Tobacco Prevention and Control, at April.Ferrino@tdh.state.tx.us.
Washington
Washington State launched a new media campaign in
February 2003 that features two ads adapted from other states, and a Web site,
both aimed at increasing public awareness of the dangers of secondhand
smoke. The new Web site is www.SecondhandSmokesYou.com. The state has also hired a
consultant to coordinate efforts around secondhand smoke. The coordination work will help to ensure
secondhand smoke activities and resources around the state are easier to access
and that partners at each level hear about the important work happening
locally, statewide, and nationally.
For more information, contact Susan Zemek,
Washington Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, at susan.zemek@doh.wa.gov.
Wyoming
Many Wyoming communities are working on secondhand
smoke campaigns by educating community and businesses such as hospitals and
restaurants. Converse County Tobacco Prevention and the Union Pacific Railroad
are collaborating to change the existing tobacco-free policy on the UPRR's
property to ban smoking within 10 to 15 feet of the doorways. Converse County is working with the railroad
to provide education and cessation to employees through safety meetings. In addition, Sheridan
County Tobacco Use Prevention Program has assisted nine restaurants and one
liquor store with a bar going 100 percent smokefree in 2002. The latest
business to go smokefree is the Sheridan Pizza Hut.
For more
information, contact Shann Hauck, Wyoming Tobacco Prevention Program, at shauck@state.wy.us.
Smokefree Colleges
and Universities
Recently, universities and colleges have
been featured in the media for implementing smokefree policies. The University
of Hawaii’s system-wide
tobacco-free policy went into effect on January 10, 2003. The policy
prohibits smoking in various areas on all campuses including all interior
spaces, with campus residences phased in over two years. Smoking is also
prohibited in outdoor areas such as entrances, courtyards, and breezeways and
outdoor dining areas. The advertising and sales of tobacco products on campuses
and the sponsorship of campus events or campus organizations by tobacco
industry or tobacco promoting organizations are also prohibited. All
university residences, both faculty and student, will be smokefree by the start
of the 2004–2005 academic year. The policy also calls for smoking
cessation guidance to be made available to assist and encourage individuals who
wish to quit.
For more information, go to the University of Hawaii
Tobacco Products Policy and Guidelines Web site, http://www.hawaii.edu/smokingpolicy/, or the Partnership's
website at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~cphfa.
In addition, University of Michigan and Clemson
University in South Carolina enacted regulations for smokefree residence halls.
Texas Tech University recently launched a campaign to encourage students not to
smoke.
Arkansas
Anti-tobacco ads from Stamp Out Smoking (SOS), the
state’s tobacco control program, were recalled by 73 percent of the youths
surveyed. The general market and African-American youths (between the ages of
12 and 18) were questioned about radio, television, and print ads that ran from
February through June 2002. Fifty-four percent of general market youths said
the ads were effective in influencing them not to smoke, and 30 percent said
the ads were somewhat effective. Sixty-nine percent of African-American youths
said the ads were very effective, and 17 percent said they were somewhat
effective in influencing them not to smoke. The phone survey was conducted by
Opinion Research Associates, Inc., of Little Rock, Arkansas.
The SOS campaign is currently running a new series of radio, television, and print ads in media outlets across the state through June 2003, which expands the campaign’s focus to include adults. Another survey will be conducted at the campaign’s commencement to measure its effectiveness.
Iowa
JEL (Just Eliminate Lies), Iowa's youth-led
anti-tobacco group, and the Iowa Commission on Tobacco Use Prevention and
Control held a news conference on January 11, 2003 to announce the results of
the 2002 Iowa Youth Tobacco Survey and kick off a new secondhand smoke
advertising campaign. JEL also recruited 75 new members to take a stand against
Big Tobacco during visits to ski lodges in Boone and Dubuque, Iowa.
For more information, contact Keven Arrowsmith,
Information Specialist, Iowa Department of Public Health, 515-281-4768, or at karrowsm@idph.state.ia.us.
Mississippi
The Partnership for a Healthy
Mississippi released survey results finding that since the program’s inception
in 1999, cigarette use among public high school students has declined by 28
percent, while cigarette use by public middle school students has dropped by 47
percent. For the same time period, the report shows a 40 percent decline in
cigarette use by private high school students. Since 2000, cigarette use by
private middle school students has dropped 16 percent. Smoking rates among
Mississippi youth are now below the national average of 28 percent. Survey data
was collected during late 2002 by Mississippi State University’s Social Science
Research Center.
New York
A federal appeals court upheld a New York state law
banning the sale of cigarettes by mail order and over the Internet. The decision, which overturned a lower court
ruling, found that the law did not discriminate
against interstate commerce. The law was originally passed in 2000
and then was challenged in court by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation.
To view the decision, go to http://tobacco.neu.edu/internet.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Health launched a new
website, www.pabusted.com, designed to help members of Pennsylvania’s
youth anti-tobacco movement, BUSTED!, in their grassroots advocacy campaign
against tobacco. It features information on the health effects of tobacco and
the accomplishments and activities of BUSTED! youth.
Washington
The Washington State Tobacco Prevention and Control
Program continues its campaign theme of showing kids the short and long-term
health effects of smoking with new television ads that began running in
February 2003. In addition, a road tour
is traveling to the state’s rural areas with the message that “Tobacco Smokes
You.” The state also recently launched a new youth Web site, www.UnfilteredTV.com. Youth can visit the Web site and try out
different activities, or enter a contest that showcases artwork about tobacco
use and awards cash prizes.
For more information, contact Susan Zemek,
Washington Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, at susan.zemek@doh.wa.gov.
Interagency Committee for Smoking and Health
A report unanimously approved by the Interagency Committee for Smoking and Health (ICSH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services presents an action plan for tobacco cessation that includes federal initiatives and measures that encourage public-private partnerships. Some of the recommendations for federal activities include a nationwide tobacco cessation quitline, a nationwide paid media campaign to encourage cessation, insurance coverage for tobacco dependence treatment for all federally sponsored health insurance plans including Medicaid, Medicare, and health plans for federal employees, and a $2/pack increase in the federal cigarette excise tax. As for public-private partnerships, recommendations included mobilizing health insurers, employers, and others to provide evidence-based tobacco dependence coverage and mobilizing health systems to implement system-level changes. A portion of the revenue from the federal excise cigarette tax would be placed in a “Smoker’s Health Fund,” which would fund all the activities laid out in the report.
Arkansas
Arkansas’s Stamp Out Smoking, the
statewide tobacco control program, launched a statewide cessation quitline on
January 13, 2003. Callers can speak
with professional counselors,
who assess each caller's tobacco use history and readiness to quit, and develop
an individual treatment plan that includes several follow-up phone calls to
offer education and support. The state contracted
with Mayo Clinic to provide the quitline and is implementing a media campaign
to promote the quitline with the tagline, “Calling it Quits.”
For more information, go to http://www.mayo.edu/quitline.
Rhode
Island
The Rhode Island Tobacco Control Program launched a campaign which features real smokers who have quit as a result of the statewide quitline and local treatment programs in the adult smokers quit campaign. The telephones are ringing off the hook. This has proven a successful strategy to supplement the Media Campaign Resource Center ads. Spanish ads have also been developed. The local treatment program offered in Spanish is being promoted with the Spanish speaking population by smokers who have quit through this program. The campaign includes television and radio ads, and newsletters about the treatment programs that feature smokers who have successfully quit tobacco and want to help other smokers kick their addiction.
For more information, contact
Carol Hall-Walker, RI Tobacco Control Program, at CarolH@doh.state.ri.us.
Texas
On December 30, 2002, the Texas Department of Health
launched its first-ever statewide tobacco cessation campaign. The campaign, which features a series of
30-second television public service announcements (PSA), is called “Yes You
Can” or “Sí Se Puede” in Spanish. The
campaign specifically targets men ages 20 to 40 years old. The PSAs take place in a friendly, blue-collar diner where
a young dad brags that he quit smoking all on his own. While his pals believe he quit without
anybody's help, the audience is privy to scenes that reveal his family played a
major role in motivating him to give up smoking. They inspired him to quit by getting rid of his cigarettes and
then supported him with love and encouragement to quit smoking for good. Research indicates adult males have the highest rates of tobacco
use in Texas. Research also showed that
quitting smoking for their loved ones is a key motivator to kick the tobacco
habit. The cessation campaign is part of the Texas Department of Health’s
comprehensive Tobacco Prevention Program, which currently focuses on the
Beaumont-Port Arthur and Houston areas.
The program is funded with a portion of the 1998 Texas tobacco
settlement.
For more information, contact Marcus Cooper, Texas
Department of Health, at Marcus.Cooper@tdh.state.tx.us.
Washington
In February, Washington State launched new
television and radio ads featuring Hispanic actors and voices aimed at
encouraging smokers to call the state’s Tobacco Quit Line. The ads were selected from other states. Also, in an effort to reach more rural areas
with cessation messages, coffee cups, coasters, and postcards with the state
quit line information are being delivered to places where smokers hang out,
such as coffee shops, bars, and bowling alleys.
For more information, contact Susan Zemek,
Washington Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, at susan.zemek@doh.wa.gov.
West
Virginia
Three coal mines, Hobet, Catenary/Samples, and Arch,
are participating in a pilot tobacco cessation program for all employees,
spouses, and dependent family members.
The program links smokers to the statewide quitline, provides
face-to-face counseling, and reimburses for nicotine gum. The statewide quitline also provides free
nicotine patches for smokers who undergo counseling via the quitline. The program offers stress management, health
screenings, nutrition counseling, and exercise opportunities. About 60 percent
of coal workers use some type of tobacco.
The West Virginia Bureau of Public Health’s Division of Tobacco
Prevention funds both the pilot cessation program and statewide tobacco
quitline.
State Budgets
According to a report by the National Conference of
State Legislatures, state budget gaps have grown by 50 percent in the last two months
and state policymakers will work to resolve unprecedented budget shortfalls for
the next 15 months. Sluggish revenues are a major contributor to the budget
shortfalls, according to the report. At least 30 states say revenue collections
are below budget forecasts, with 12 of these reporting collections below
revised estimates. Thirty-seven states say spending is exceeding budgeted
levels, with all but five reporting excessive Medicaid or health care
costs.
For more information, go to http://www.ncsl.org/programs/press/2003/pr030204.htm.
Technology Grants Available
The Beaumont Foundation will be giving out $400
million in computer equipment to community-based organizations that serve
low-income individuals in 22 states. Government and community organizations are
eligible to apply for these grants. The foundation is a non-profit
philanthropic organization that is dedicated to enriching the lives of
individuals by providing technology to historically underserved schools and
communities. Information is available online or by calling
1-866-505-2667. Grant applications are accepted through March 31, 2003
For more information, go to http://www.bmtfoundation.com/grants/.
Tobacco Industry and Regulation
As of January 1,
2003, cigarettes sold in the European Union will feature new health warnings that cover 30
percent of the front surface of cigarette packs and 40 percent of the back.
Warnings include “Smoking can cause a slow and painful death,” “Smoking
seriously harms you and others around you”, and “Smokers die younger.”
For more information, go the Action
on Smoking and Health website at http://www.ash.org.uk/html/press/021230.html.
The Vector Group Ltd.'s launched Quest, a "nicotine-free cigarettes". Quest comes in three varieties, each with decreasing amounts of nicotine. Vector claims "Quest 3, the nicotine-free variety, contains only trace levels of nicotine." The product is being sold in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
For
more information on “reduced-harm” products, go to the Campaign For Tobacco
Free Kids website, at http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/newproducts/. For more information on Quest cigarettes, go to http://www.questcigs.com/.
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT – State Legislative Watch
The following is a snapshot
of state legislation and governor-supported measures that have been introduced
this legislative session regarding tobacco control. Please note that this is
not a comprehensive list of state legislation.
·
Tobacco excise tax
Through the Southern Neighbors Collaborative, tobacco-growing states have set a unified goal of raising their state tobacco tax to the national average of $0.62. States involved in the Collaborative include Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Governors in California,
Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and West Virginia have proposed increasing
the excise tax on cigarettes.
Bills to increase the tax
have been introduced in Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
A bill introduced in the
Indiana Legislature would collect tax on tobacco products sold over the
Internet or by mail order.
For more information on
specific tax proposals, go to http://www.astho.org/pubs/ExcisetaxFeb03.htm.
·
Clean Indoor Air
Statewide smoking bans have
been introduced in many states including Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Nebraska,
Mississippi, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Washington.
Preemption bills that would
strip local governments of the power to regulate secondhand smoke and tobacco
issues have been introduced in Montana.
Legislation to repeal preemption have been introduced in Connecticut,
Nevada, New Jersey, and South Dakota.
Bills have been introduced
in Kentucky and New York to ban smoking in all state college and university
housing. Legislation has also been
introduced in New York to ban smoking in public beaches and parks, Bills banning
smoking in cars with youth have been introduced in New York and Vermont. Legislation introduced in Hawaii would ban
smoking in public schools. A bill introduced in Vermont would ban smoking in
bars.
Legislation has been introduced to weaken the Delaware Clean Indoor Air Act, which bans smoking in nearly all public places including restaurants, bars, and casinos. Proposed legislation would allow smoking in taprooms, taverns, horse tracks, sections of slot machine venues and non-profit organizations that run bingo events for patrons age 21 and older. Amendments have also been introduced which would strengthen the existing law, such as banning smoking in outdoor areas such as beaches and state parks.
Legislation has also been introduced to weaken the South Dakota Clean Indoor Air Act.
Americans for Non-Smokers’ Rights Foundation developed “Preemption Watch” with information on pending state legislation that would preempt local tobacco control. For more information, go to http://www.no-smoke.org/preemptionwatch.html.
·
Youth Prevention
Bills introduced in California and Texas
would raise the age of purchase and use of cigarettes from 18 to 21.
Youth access bills prohibiting self-service displays and/or tobacco vending machines have been introduced in Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
·
Cessation
Bills have been introduced in New York to require health plans and Medicaid to cover smoking cessation therapy.
·
State
Tobacco Control Program Funding and Securitization
Colorado
Governor Bill Owens’ budget proposal includes reductions to the state tobacco
control program by 11.5 percent.
Originally the governor proposed a 50 percent reduction to the program.
Maryland
Governor Bob Ehrlich’s budget proposal includes reductions to the Maryland
Tobacco Control Program by 50 percent, from $30
million in FY 2003 to $15.2 million in FY 2004.
Massachusetts Governor
Mitt Romney decreased funding for the Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program
by $10 million, which eliminates all state program funding.
Minnesota Governor Tim
Pawlenty’s budget includes a proposal to eliminate the tobacco
prevention endowment, currently the only source of funding for youth tobacco
prevention.
New Jersey Governor McGreevey’s budget proposal includes reductions to the state tobacco control program by 67 percent, from $30 million in FY2003 to $10 million in FY2004.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced the elimination of the Wisconsin Tobacco Control Board in his 2003 State of the State address due to duplication of efforts. However, he maintained state funding for tobacco control at $15 million/year.
Bills to securitize a
portion of tobacco settlement payments have been introduced in Indiana and New
Mexico. In addition, governors in Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey,
New Mexico, and New York have proposed securitization.
SAVE THE DATE
·
Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) 2003 Annual Meeting
CALL
FOR ABSTRACTS Deadline for
submission: March 3, 2003.
November 14-15, 2003; San Francisco,
CA. The conference theme is "Leadership and
Diversity: Bridges to a Golden Health Education Era." Please submit a
proposal for a paper, concurrent session, pre-conference workshop, or poster in
the following areas: Social Determinants and Social Justice; Advocacy and
Policy Change; Cutting-Edge Research and Evaluation; Preparing Health Educators
to Lead in a Diverse World; and Innovative Partnerships and Collaborations.
For
online submission, visit http://www.cmh.pitt.edu/Sophi/SOPHE_03.pdf
or go to www.sophe.org.
·
2003 National Conference on Tobacco or Health
CALL
FOR ABSTRACTS Deadline for
submission: April 15, 2003
December 10-12, 2003; Boston, MA. This year’s theme is "Surviving
and Thriving During Difficult Financial Times.” Abstracts can be submitted in one of the following areas: Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs or
Combined Strategies; Evaluation and Surveillance; Cessation, Nicotine, and the
Science of Addiction; Increasing Diversity/Eliminating Disparities; Public
Policy and Advocacy Strategies; Media and Communications Strategies; and
Tobacco Use Prevention Among Youth.
For
more information, go to http://www.tobaccocontrolconference.org/2003Conference/.
·
Unite to Fight:
Building an 18-24 Year Old Tobacco Resistance Movement
March 10-12, 2003; Sacramento, CA. Sponsored by the California Youth Advocacy Network, this conference is open to all states. Attendees will better understand how to work within this age group and will gain tangible tools to use in the fight against the tobacco industry. Workshops will focus on population culture, distinctive subgroups within this diverse age group, tobacco prevention areas specific to 18-24 year-olds, and more.
For more information, http://www.cce.csus.edu/cts/unite/index.htm.
·
2003 California Project Directors’ Meeting
April 7-10, 2003; Newport
Beach, CA. This conference is hosted by the California
Tobacco Control Section for their grantees, however the conference is open to
all states. This year’s theme, “Making
Waves: Emerging Issues and Challenges
in Tobacco Control,” will feature technical assistance roundtables and
breakouts on successful strategies in various tobacco control areas such as
coalition building, local policy, cessation, enforcement, tobacco industry
marketing, and more.
For more
information, go to http://www.cce.csus.edu/cts/tobacco/index.htm.
·
Addressing Tobacco in Managed Care Conference
April 30-May 2, 2003; Atlanta, GA. Join managed care organizations, providers, and the public health
community as they showcase winning strategies for integrating tobacco
prevention and cessation into routine health care. Sessions will highlight real-world
approaches to increase the number and quality of tobacco cessation initiatives
in organizations, innovative methods for moving research and science into
practice, targeting high-risk populations, and partnering to address smoking
cessation. The conference is sponsored by the American Association of Health
Plans.
For more information, go to https://www.aahp.org/ATMC/ATMC2003/ATMC2003.htm.
·
2nd
National Collegiate Tobacco Symposium
May 1-2, 2003; Providence, RI. The conference is
hosted by Bacchus and Gamma and is intended for a broad spectrum of student
affairs professionals, researchers, health educators, students, and community
members to learn the latest research and strategies to reduce smoking on
college campuses.
For more information, go to http://www.bacchusgamma.org/tobsym02.asp.
· Smoking out the
Snake: Exposing and Countering Tobacco Industry Sponsorship
May 29-30, 2003; Universal City, CA.
Planned by the California Tobacco
Control Section and many other partners, this conference will expose the motives of the tobacco industry and whom they
target. Topics of discussion will
include tools and techniques to counter sponsorship, local and state
legislation, legal action, information on special populations such as ethnic
groups, youth, college age, LGBT, and other priority populations, and more.
For more information, call 1-800-858-7743.
·
13th Annual Social
Marketing in Public Health
June 18-21, 2003; Clearwater, FL. The conference, sponsored by the Department of Community and Family Health and the College of Public Health, University of South Florida, is designed for public health professionals and health educators from state and local health departments, volunteer agencies, non-profit organizations, federal and other public agencies, academia, etc.
For more information, go to http://www.publichealth.usf.edu/conted/.
FFor
Cessation
·
A
study analyzing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
(BRFSS) found that 70 percent of smokers were advised to quit by their
physician. Women and older persons were
more likely to receive quit advice.
Across 10 states, approximately 2 million smokers with a routine checkup
in the past year were not advised to quit smoking. The study also looked at
binge drinking and was published in the January 2003 issue of American
Journal of Preventive Medicine.
For more information, go to http://www.medicinedirect.com/journal/journal/article?acronym=AMEPRE&format=abstract&uid=PIIS0749379702005688
·
A
study examining trends in smoking before, during, and after pregnancy found
that the odds that a woman quits smoking during pregnancy increased 51 percent
between 1993 and 1999. In contrast, the odds of smoking 3 months before
pregnancy did change over this period, while postpartum relapse rates have
tended to rise. Data was extrapolated
from 10 states that participated in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring
System (PRAMS) for at least 5 of the 7 years between 1993 and 1999. The study
is published in the January 2003 issue of the American Journal of Preventive
Medicine.
To view the study, go to http://www.medicinedirect.com/journal/journal/article?acronym=AMEPRE&format=abstract&uid=PIIS0749379702005743
Youth Prevention
·
The American Legacy Foundation’s latest First Look Report highlights prevalence data for current use of
smokeless tobacco, cigars, bidis, kreteks, and pipes among youth in the United
States. Cigars are the most prevalent
tobacco product other than cigarettes used by youth. In addition, 9.9 percent of middle school students and 20.6
percent of high schools students report using a tobacco product other than
cigarettes in the past 30 days. Data is
extrapolated from the 2000 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
To view the report, go to http://www.americanlegacy.org/content/PDF/FLR9_truth.pdf.
·
A
study titled "Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students — New
Hampshire, 1995–2001" found that smoking rates among adolescents in New
Hampshire are declining. The decline was attributed to a 100 percent increase
in the price of cigarettes from 1997 ($1.77 per pack) to 2001 ($3.53 per pack)
and to local, state, and national tobacco control efforts. The study was
published in the January 10, 2003 edition of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
For more information, go to http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5201a3.htm.
Secondhand
smoke
· The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its Second National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals containing data on levels of 116 environmental chemicals, including cotinine, found in blood or urine samples collected during the 1999 and 2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). Cotinine is a metabolite of nicotine that tracks exposure to secondhand smoke among nonsmokers. Higher cotinine levels indicate more exposure to secondhand smoke. The report found that cotinine levels in nonsmoking Americans have gone down by more than 70 percent since the early 1990s. However, cotinine levels in children were more than twice those of adults from 1999-2000. Non-Hispanic blacks had levels more than twice those of Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites. The CDC website contains the full report and a fact sheet on the cotinine findings.
For more information, go to http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport.
·
The Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention released a secondhand smoke online toolkit on
public places for communities. The
toolkit focuses on health effects of secondhand smoke, coalition building,
community assessment, material development, and a resource list. Future
toolkits will focus on restaurants, workplaces, and schools.