Missoula Measures - Tobacco Use
Why this topic?
- Tobacco addiction kills more than twice as many people as alcohol abuse, motor vehicle accidents, suicide, homicide illicit drugs, HIV/AIDS and fires COMBINED. CDC Smoking-attributed Mortality, 2004
- Almost 90% of adult smokers took his or her first puff at or before age 18. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, You Need to Know the Truth, 2010
- In Montana, 18,000 kids now under 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, The Toll of Tobacco in MT, 2010
- In Montana, nearly 32% of all cancer deaths are attributed to smoking. That includes 90% of all lung cancer deaths. MT Vital Statistics, 2008
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Each year, approximately 443,000 Americans die from tobacco-related illnesses. For every person who dies from tobacco use, 20 more people suffer with at least 1 serious tobacco-related illness. In addition, tobacco use costs the U.S. $193 billion annually in direct medical expenses and lost productivity. HP 2020
Tobacco use causes:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Lung diseases (including emphysema, bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction)
- Premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, and infant death
There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke causes heart disease and lung cancer in adults and a number of health problems in infants and children, including:
- Severe asthma attacks
- Respiratory infections
- Ear infections
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Smokeless tobacco causes a number of serious oral health problems, including cancer of the mouth and gums, periodontitis, and tooth loss.
Cigar use causes cancer of the larynx, mouth, esophagus, and lung.
HP 2020
How are we doing?
Nationally, we have seen significant reductions in cigarette smoking, from about 40% in 1965 to nearly half that 30 years later. The smoking rate is about the same in Missoula (22% +/- 2%) as it is in the state as a whole and the state rate of smoking has been holding steady for five years. The percent of teens now smoking regularly in Missoula is slightly less than the state as a whole, but represents a significant new population addicted to tobacco.
Healthy People 2020 Targets
- Only 16% of adolescents smoke
- Only 12% of adults smoke
- Only 45% of the population is exposed to 2nd hand smoke
- Only 1% of high school students use spit tobacco
The Montana Adult Tobacco Survey of 2008 reports that 7 in 10 current smokers are either contemplating or preparing to quit.
Indicator
The rate of tobacco use in the US has been slowly declining, from 25% in 1997 to 21% in 2005. As of 2003, 20% of Montanan adults smoke. The Health People 2010 Target for adult smoking is 12%.
*Spit Tobacco Users is the percent of those who have ever tried spit tobacco.
Source: Montana BRFSS; Some data not available.
In 2002, 45% of Montana adult smokers had quit smoking for 1 day or more in the past year.
NOTE: 2006 was the only year in which this Missoula data was collected.
Related Data
Youth tobacco use 2000-2010, PNA:
Montana Prevention Needs Assessment - Missoula data from Missoula County Public Schools
Children under 17 living in a household with at least one smoker, 2007:
US - 26%
Montana - 27%
National Survey of Children's Health
Montana Indoor Clean Air Act
In 2005, the state legislature passed the Montana Indoor Clean Air Act (CIAA) that prohibits smoking in all work places, public buildings, bars and casinos in the entire state. As of June 2012, 21 states have similar laws
- 88% of Montanans support the CIAA for restaurants
- 75% support the CIAA for bars and casinos
- 62% of smokers believe that bar employees should have a smoke-free workplace
Missoula Tobacco Use Prevention Plan
Maintain and enhance Missoula's tobacco use prevention network
- Tobacco-Free Missoula County
- Quit for Life programs
- ETS (environmental tobacco smoke) team and ad hoc committee
- Youth Advocacy Groups
- Quarterly newsletter
Decrease public and workplace exposure to ETS
- Help businesses comply with state law
- Respond to state law complaints/violations
Provide health education and prevention activities for youth
- School-based tobacco education for 5th & 7th graders
- Tobacco presentations at various health fairs and camps
- Presentations in Insight program (court mandated for youth)
- Work with Missoula Indian Center to outreach to Native American population
- Assist with Social Norming project
- Plan community-wide events for Kick Butts Day each April and The Great American Smoke-Out each November
- Maintain spit tobacco educational campaign
Reduce underage access to tobacco products
- Provide clerks with RATS (Responsible Alcohol and Tobacco Sales) training
- Assist with state tobacco sales and compliance checks as requested
- Publish compliance check results
Promote cessation among youth and adults
- Continue Quit for Life Program
- Improve client access to pharmacological aids for cessation
- Improve referrals through medical and health professionals
- Offer one-on-one coaching and referrals for anyone who wants to quit
Decrease social acceptability of tobacco use
- Enhance anti-tobacco culture in middle and high schools, use social norming
CDC Recommended Goals
- Prevent the initiation of tobacco use among young people
- Promote quitting among young people and adults
- Eliminate nonsmokers' exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
- Identify and eliminate disparities among Native Americans, women of childbearing age, and male users of smokeless tobacco
| Healthy People 2020 Targets - Increase the percent of : | ||||
| Base | Target | |||
Women who do not smoke during pregnancy |
89.4% | 98.3% | ||
Related Measures
Related websites
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
There are many websites addressing tobacco-related issues. The six sites listed below are some of the larger sites on tobacco issues and are good places to start.
American Heart Association - Getting Healthy
Tobacco.org - news and links
Healthy People 2010 - extensive background on national public health status of this topic and many others.
