Washington’s adult smoking rate now third lowest in the nation

New survey results show Washington’s adult smoking rate has dropped to a new low of 14.8 percent, the Washington State Department of Health reports.

That’s down from 15.3 percent the previous year, the Department of Health said, and gives the state third lowest smoking rate in the nation.

Despite these gains, people from low income and lower educational backgrounds continue to smoke at higher rates, the Department said, and smokeless tobacco use, including products like chew, is also on the rise among people who already smoke.

The reduction is the result of a long battle to reduce smoking in the state, said Governor Chris Gregoire. “This latest drop in smoking means thousands of people will be spared early, tobacco-related deaths and the state will save billions of dollars in future health care costs.”

Other highlights from the Department of Health’s announcement:

• Since the state started its Tobacco Prevention and Control Program in 2000, the smoking rate has declined by about a third.

• The drop translates to 105,000 people spared early tobacco-related deaths and $3 billion dollars saved in future healthcare costs.

• The smoking rates among people from low income or with lower educational backgrounds remain high at 29 and 27 percent, respectively.

• While people with lower incomes try to quit as often as people with higher incomes, they are less successful.

The Department credited the decline in smoking among Washington adults to three “core” interventions:

• The establishment of establishing one of the nation’s strongest smoke-free laws

• The imposition of the third highest cigarette tax in the country

• The implementation a comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program.

Use of smokeless tobacco, however, is on the rise, doubling over the last 10 years among people who smoke, the Department said, a “disturbing new trend” because these products are known to cause cancer, including cancer of the mouth and pancreas.

Resources:

• Quit Line:

The Washington State Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW, 1-877-2NO-FUME) provides free help to people who are ready to quit—including smokeless tobacco products like chew and dip.

Quit coaches help callers identify triggers for tobacco use, cope with withdrawal symptoms, and develop a personal plan to quit. Callers receive a packet of quit materials by mail. ‘

More than 150,000 people in Washington have called the quit line for help since it opened for business in November, 2000.

More information about quitting tobacco is also provided online (www.Quitline.com).

Additional Resources:

• King County’s Tobacco Prevention Web page.
• Seattle Cancer Care Alliance’s Smoke Free Life.
• Washington State Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
• American Lung Association of Washington.
• American Cancer Society.

Tags: Cigarettes, Tobacco

Category: Prevention, Smoking