SOUTH DAKOTA
Aggressive tactics help S.D. cut smoking rate
Targeted education at youth and an increased awareness of available programs, such as the South Dakota QuitLine, have produced successful results in helping to reduce the number of smokers in South Dakota to an all-time low of 17.5 percent, according to a recent release from the South Dakota Department Of Health.
“We are aggressively educating the young kids in our community,” said Yankton Tobacco Coalition chairperson and pulmonary and respiratory therapist Joan Hochstein. “Over the last few years, the high school has received grants of $20,000 to implement programs in the schools. The Yankton Tobacco Coalition tries to help out more as a resource going into the Boys and Girl’s Club every month to help train the children both on reasons why to say no and to learn the skills to know how to say no.”
Hochstein said that the highest growing segment of new smokers in the state are young children — some as young as fourth and fifth grade.
According to the American Heart Association Web site, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that each day more than 4,000 people under 18 try their first cigarette. It estimates that the tobacco industry needs to recruit 5,000 new young smokers every day to maintain the total number of smokers (due to the number of people who quit or die from tobacco-related illness each year).
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 90 percent of smokers begin tobacco use before age 20; 50 percent of smokers begin tobacco use by age 14; and 25 percent begin their smoking addiction by age 12 (the 6th grade). “When we talk to the kids, they admit that they have seen (peers smoking) — they know it is going on,” she said. “The tobacco companies are making an effort to try to get the children as young as they can because the younger they start smoking, the harder it is to quit. Nicotine is an addiction and it takes both time and resources to quit.”
One of the resources that the coalition advises current smokers who wish to quit use is the state QuitLine. The Department of Health reports that the South Dakota QuitLine’s success rate increased significantly from 29 percent in 2007 to 43 percent in 2008. A quit attempt is considered successful once 12 months have passed without tobacco use. In comparison, only about 5 percent of people who quit on their own are still abstinent a year later.
“Tobacco prevention and control is a priority in our state, and it’s paying off,” said Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health. “Fewer people who smoke means fewer people suffering or dying from tobacco-related diseases. It also means our state will save millions of dollars in future health care costs. We must continue to look for ways to reach people who are addicted to this deadly habit, and keep kids from ever starting so they’ll live longer, healthier lives.”
The adult smoking rate in South Dakota has dropped more than 21.5 percent since the Department became the lead agency for state tobacco control efforts in 2001. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are now at least 38,600 fewer people smoking in South Dakota and an estimated 1,836 people will be spared early, tobacco-related deaths. The decline translates into at least $65 million in healthcare cost savings through 2011 and at least $325 million in healthcare cost savings through 2018, assuming healthcare costs and smoking rates stay at their current levels.
“I think everyone understands that cigarette smoke is harmful, even those who smoke,” said Michael Pietila, M.D., Pulmonology, Critical Care, and Internal Medicine, Yankton Medical Clinic. “Data suggests that 70 percent of smokers want to quit and greater than 80 percent have tried. Successful cessation usually requires multiple attempts and only about 7 percent of smokers attempting to quit are smoke-free at one year. Smokers know they need to quit — they just have a hard time doing it. Several studies show that the more treatments that you utilize the better your chances of successfully quitting smoking.”
People in South Dakota can receive free quit support by calling the toll-free South Dakota QuitLine at at 1-866-SD-Quits (1-866-737-8487) or visit the Web site http://www.befreesd.com/quitline.html. Callers speak with a trained quit coach who works with them to identify smoking triggers, provides information about coping with withdrawal symptoms, helps develop a personal plan to quit and sends a packet of quit materials. More than 54,000 South Dakotans have called the QuitLine for help since it launched in 2002.
“It takes a complete community effort to help reduce tobacco usage,” Hochstein said. “Yankton is in the forefront. Our parks are tobacco-free. We have a great medical community and together with the city we are standing together to combat smoking. ... We try to be mindful that people have rights, but we want everyone to have the information, as well.”
Shauna Marlette
16 June 2010
http://www.yankton.net/articles/2010/06/16/community/doc4c184c03b34c3178815502.txt
