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CONTACTS: Beth Kaplan, (608) 267-3810
YOUTH SMOKING RATES DROP DRAMATICALLY
Program Efforts, Cigarette Taxes Help Drive Rates Down
MADISON—Smoking rates have fallen 15% among
high school students and 9% among middle school students since 2008,
according to the 2010 Wisconsin Youth Tobacco Survey. The survey,
conducted bi-annually by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and
the Department of Public Instruction, included 43 high schools and 45
middle schools.
High school smoking dropped from 20.7% in 2008 to 17.7% in 2010; middle
school smoking dropped from 4.3% to 3.9% in the same timeframe. Governor
Jim Doyle credited statewide education efforts and state and federal
cigarette tax increases for the decrease.
“Throughout my career as Attorney General and Governor, I have fought
hard to keep kids from starting to smoke,” Governor Doyle said. “Through
our efforts - from preventing youth tobacco sales to passing legislation
to make Wisconsin smoke free - we have made many great strides to protect
the health of our families, our children and our workers.”
The state’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program is making an
impact, according to Karen Timberlake, Health Services Department
Secretary. Nearly 68% of the high school students and 54% of the middle
school students reported seeing or hearing anti-smoking media messages in
the month prior to the survey. The FACT program, (Fighting Against
Corporate Tobacco) features youth taking the anti-smoking message directly
to peers.
“To keep youth smoking rates falling, we will need a strong, ongoing
commitment to tobacco prevention and control efforts in Wisconsin,”
Timberlake said.
“Nearly 80% of smokers start before the age of 18, and some 1,000
youth nationally become regular smokers every day,” said Timberlake. “Add
those statistics to the $4.5 billion that tobacco costs Wisconsin annually
in health care and lost productivity, and it’s clear that youth tobacco
prevention must remain a priority for our state.”
For more on Wisconsin’s tobacco prevention and control efforts, visit
www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tobacco/.
For more information on Wisconsin’s FACT youth program visit www.fightwithFACT.com
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Last Revised: August 17, 2010 |
