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For immediate release: March 30, 2005 (05-030)
Contacts: Tim Church, Communications Office 360-236-4077, or pager 360-534-0068
Washington youth smoking rates drop again; thousands fewer lighting-up
Youth rate drops by nearly half since 2000
OLYMPIA ¾ Fewer youth in our state are smoking, which means they have a much better chance of living longer and healthier lives. The Washington State Department of Health today announced that the youth smoking rate has dropped by about half since the launch of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program in 2000. That translates into around 65,000 fewer youth smokers statewide and about 13,000 youth who will be spared an early death.
"This is a real victory for children and families across the state," Gov. Christine Gregoire said. "Washington’s commitment to youth tobacco prevention is making a difference, and our kids and young adults are healthier as a result."
According to the 2004 Healthy Youth Survey, youth smoking in Washington has dropped to an all time low since the state began tracking it in 1990. Washington continues to be ahead of the nation in achieving lower youth smoking rates. Smoking is down for all grades: sixth-graders smoking is down 57 percent; eighth-graders smoking is down 49 percent; tenth-graders smoking is down 48 percent; and twelfth-graders smoking is down 44 percent. For tenth-graders that means the rate has dropped from 25 percent in 1999 to 13 percent in 2004.
"A few years ago in our state 65 kids a day were starting to smoke. Now that number is down to 45. It’s still too many, but we are making great progress," said Secretary of Health Mary Selecky. "These new numbers show that kids are getting the message, and our work together with communities and schools is paying off by saving lives."
The state teams with local health departments, schools, tribes and community-based organizations to ensure youth receive tobacco prevention information at school, at work, at home, and where they socialize. Efforts to prevent youth from taking up the tobacco habit include support for youth groups, educational programs in schools, concert sponsorships, and a cutting-edge, multi-media ad campaign and Web site (www.UnfilteredTV.com). The department also works with retailers to make it more difficult for youth to buy tobacco products.
"The tobacco industry spends more than $160 million each year in Washington to hook smokers through aggressive marketing efforts," Selecky said. "We must continue our fight to counter their efforts and keep youth in Washington healthy."
The 2004 Healthy Youth Survey was taken anonymously by more than 185,000 students in 235 districts and 1,013 schools. Results from 30,000 students were used in the state findings. The survey tracks behaviors that affect health such as tobacco and alcohol use, and seatbelt use among sixth, eighth, tenth and twelfth graders. The Department of Health, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Department of Social and Health Services and Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development jointly fund the survey every two years.
Despite significant progress, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the nation and in Washington. Tobacco-related diseases kill about 8,000 people every year in Washington — more than AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders, suicides and fires combined.
For more information about this announcement, go to http://www.unfilteredtv.com/press_room/.
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