Improving Life, One Breath at a Time®
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Improving Life, One Breath at a Time® |
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tobacco | asthma | events | donations | volunteer | news | history | links | contact |
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The mission of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.
Teen Quit Kit
1-877-966-8784 or 304-599-6981.
Last updated 1/21/2004
©1999 by ALAWV, Inc. All rights reserved |
Why make tobacco prevention the highest priority?
Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined -- and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes -- such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use. 24
Smoking was first linked to lung cancer and other diseases in the late 1940s and early 1950s. 1 On January 11, 1964, the first-ever Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health concluded that cigarette smoking is a cause of lung cancer in men. 2 Since the release of the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health in the United States in 1964, about 10 million people have died from smoking-related diseases in the United States. 3 return to the top of
this page Smoking is associated with coronary heart disease, stroke, ulcers, respiratory infections, lung cancer (as well as cancer of the larynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, stomach, uterine & cervix), bronchitis, emphysema, early menopause, and stillborn & premature children. 4 Smoking causes more than 440,000 deaths per year in the United States. Approximately 4,000 West Virginians die each year from smoking-related diseases. One in 5 deaths in West Virginia is due to smoking. 5 West Virginia consistently ranks among the top five states in youth smoking; recent data reveals that use prevalence for 2002 was 34%. The prevalence for smokeless tobacco use among high school students is 22%. 6 Nationwide, nearly 750,000 teenagers under 18 years of age become new regular daily smokers every year. Almost a third of these teens will eventually die form smoking-related diseases. Adolescent smoking is the number one determination of adult smoking – approximately 80% of adult smokers start smoking before the age of 18. 6 More than 4 million adolescents under the age of 18 in the United States smoke cigarettes. 7 Each day, more than 6,000 young people try a cigarette and nearly 3,000 become regular smokers — that adds up to more than one million new smokers each year. 8 In West Virginia, almost 5,000 teenagers under 18 years become regular daily smokers every year. The consequences of such tobacco use can be staggering. More than 40,000 teenagers in West Virginia living today will die prematurely because of a decision they will make as adolescents – the decision to smoke cigarettes. 9 About 23% of middle school students and 41% of high school students in West Virginia currently use some form of tobacco. This amounts to an estimated 48,758 students who currently use any tobacco product. 10 More than half of all current smokers indicated that they wanted to stop smoking, (51% in middle schools and 59% in high schools), and similar numbers said they have actually tried to quit. However only 12% of current smokers in middle schools and 9% of those in high schools had ever participated in a cessation program to help them quit using tobacco. 11 If current smoking patterns continue, an estimated 25 million Americans will die prematurely from a smoking-related illness, including an estimated 5 million people who are now children and adolescents under the age of 18 years. 3 return to the top of
this page As reported in 1992 by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to tobacco smoke in the
environment can cause lung cancer in adult nonsmokers. Environmental Tobacco
Smoke (ETS) or “Secondhand” smoke has been classified as a Group A carcinogen by
the Environmental Protection Agency.
14
ETS has also been linked to an increased
risk of heart disease among nonsmokers. Exposure to ETS causes about
3,000 lung cancer deaths annually among adult nonsmokers. In 1997, the California
EPA concluded that ETS causes coronary heart disease and death in nonsmokers.
Scientific studies have estimated that ETS accounts for as many as 62,000 deaths
from coronary heart disease annually in the United States. The 1992 EPA report also
concluded that ETS causes serious respiratory problems in children, such as
greater number and severity of asthma attacks and lower respiratory tract
infections. ETS exposure increases children’s risk for sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS) and middle ear infections as well. Each year ETS causes
150,000-300,000 lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia and
bronchitis, in children. Nonsmokers exposed to ETS have a 20.0% increased risk of heart disease 12 In West Virginia; 73% of middle school students and 83% of high school students either rode in a car or were in the same room with someone who was smoking cigarettes in the past seven days. 13 return to the top of
this page Mental health disorders have been strongly associated with smoking, especially among adolescents and young adults. Smoking has been associated with suicidal tendencies. College students who are daily smokers are more than five times more likely to have either seriously thought about or attempted suicide than non-smokers. 15 Adolescent smokers are two times more likely to develop a major depressive disorder than adolescent nonsmokers. 16 A National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 25-year study concluded that smoking is connected with several mental health disorders in adolescents and young adults. Heavy smokers (>20 cigarettes/day) were 6.8 times more likely to develop agoraphobia, had 5.5 times the risk of generalized anxiety disorder, and had 15.6 times the risk of developing panic disorder than non-smokers and light smokers. These drastic risk increases are thought to be tied to the damage that nicotine can do to the blood vessels that lead to the brain. return to the top of
this page Tobacco, High-Risk Drinking, Illicit Drug Use, and High-Risk Sex: Adolescents who smoke are seven times more likely to abuse or become addicted to illicit drugs than are nonsmoking teens. 16 The Harvard College Alcohol Study determined that student tobacco users are 4.62 times more likely to smoke marijuana and 3.6 times more likely to engage in high-risk drinking than are nonsmokers. Smokers are more likely to use illicit drugs than high-risk drinkers. 17 College students who are smokers are 50.0% more likely than nonsmokers to have had two or more sexual partners in the last month. 17 Even light smokers are over three times more likely to participate in high-risk sexual behavior when concurrently using alcohol or other drugs than nonsmokers. 15 return to the top of this page Tobacco Use and Lower Academic Performance: Smokers have lower grade point averages (GPA) than nonsmokers. The Harvard College Alcohol Study found that smokers are 27.0% less likely than nonsmokers to have an above B grade average. Daily smokers were found to have even lower GPAs than high-risk drinkers. 17 Smoking prevalence in colleges has been found to be lower at highly selective schools. 18 Many factors interact to encourage tobacco use among youth, including tobacco advertising and promotion, tobacco use by peers and family members, and easy access to tobacco products. 19 return to the top of
this page The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that smoking-attributable productivity losses in West Virginia amounted to $906 million in 2001. 23 A combination of the smoking-related direct health care costs and the smoking-related productivity losses gives a clear picture of the enormous economic toll of tobacco in West Virginia. For the year 2001, this amounted to $1.576 billion using the most conservative model. These total costs, however, do not include the costs of productivity losses due to morbidity from smoking-related illness, nor do they include the costs of health care or productivity losses due to smokeless tobacco, cigars, pipes, and secondhand smoke. Smoking-related cost data for West Virginia for the year 2001 are summarized in the graphical presentation below. Estimated Smoking-Attributable Productivity Losses plus Direct Health Care Costs-- Per Adult Smoker vs. Per Adult Resident in West Virginia: 2001 , 24,25
Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in West Virginia Annual health care costs in West Virginia directly caused by smoking $539 million - Portion covered by the state Medicaid program $179 million Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures $490 per household Smoking-caused productivity losses in West Virginia $850 million Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, spit tobacco use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Other non-health costs from tobacco use include residential and commercial property losses from smoking-caused fires (more than $500 million per year nationwide); extra cleaning and maintenance costs made necessary by tobacco smoke and litter (about $4+ billion nationwide for commercial establishments alone); and additional productivity losses from smoking-caused work absences, smoking breaks, and on-the-job performance declines and early termination of employment caused by smoking-caused disability or illness (dollar amount listed above is just from productive work lives shortened by smoking-caused death). 24 return to the top of
this page Engineering of Tobacco Products: Tobacco products include a myriad of chemical additives to enhance nicotine delivery and physical addiction. For instance the list of additives to smokeless tobacco includes sodium carbonate and ammonium carbonate, which increase the level of "free" nicotine in moist snuff by raising the pH level. Unprotonated (free) nicotine is the chemical form of nicotine that is most readily absorbed through the mouth into the blood-stream. Therefore, increases in pH can increase the snuff user’s nicotine absorption rate. Studies with nicotine and other addictive drugs suggest that the absorption rate of drugs into the body is an important determinant of their addiction potential. 20 Sweeteners and flavorings, such as cherry juice concentrate, apple juice, chocolate liqueur, or honey are used in various smokeless tobacco products. As with manufactured cigarettes, these additives increase palatability and may increase the use of smokeless tobacco, at least among novices. 19 More than 4,000 chemical compounds have been identified in tobacco smoke, of these; at least 43 are known to cause cancer. 19 Secondhand smoke contains higher concentrations of ammonia, benzene, nicotine, and carbon monoxide than the mainstream smoke that smokers inhale 12 return to the top of this page Tobacco Advertising and Promotion: The tobacco industry uses a variety of marketing tools and strategies to influence consumer preference, thereby increasing market share and attracting new consumers. Among all U.S. manufacturers, the tobacco industry is one of the most intense in marketing its products. Only the automobile industry markets its products more heavily. 19 Children and teenagers constitute the majority of all new smokers, and the industry’s advertising and promotion campaigns often have special appeal to these young people. One tobacco company, the Liggett Group, Inc., has admitted that the entire tobacco industry conspired to market cigarettes to children. 19 Tobacco documents recently obtained in litigation indicate that tobacco companies have purposefully marketed to children as young as 14 years of age. 19, 21 Peer influence and tobacco industry advertising are often recognized as major influences on teens; however, it is reported that family, physicians, schools, and different anti-tobacco campaigns make a substantial contribution in counteracting these. 22 Tobacco Industry Influence in West Virginia Annual tobacco industry marketing expenditures nationwide $11.4 billion That works out to: n 31.4 Million per day; n 20,900 dollars per minute on advertising and special promotions Estimated portion spent for West Virginia marketing each year $70.6 million
Published research studies have found that kids are three times more sensitive to tobacco advertising than adults and are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure, and that one-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributable to tobacco company advertising. 24
Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined -- and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes -- such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use. No good estimates are currently available, however, for the number of West Virginia citizens who die from these other tobacco-related causes, or for the much larger numbers who suffer from tobacco-related health problems each year without actually dying. 24 return to the top of
this page
The tobacco industry spent $20,680,315 to lobby Congress in 2002. That amounts to a whopping $138,794 spent on lobbying for every day Congress was in session. That is on top of the $9,424,612 Big Tobacco gave in political contributions during the 2002 election cycle and the $665,751 they contributed in the first six months of 2003. 25 return to the top of
this page Philip Morris (Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson & Hedges)
"Long after adolescent preoccupation with self-image has subsided, the cigarette will even preempt food in times of scarcity on the smoker's priority list." November 26, 1969 presentation to the PM Board of Directors, "Smoker Psychology Research." Bates No. 1000273741.
"Marlboro's phenomenal growth rate in the past has been attributable in large part to our high market penetration among young smokers ... 15 to 19 years old . . . my own data, which includes younger teenagers, shows even higher Marlboro market penetration among 15-17-year-olds." May 21, 1975 report " The Decline in the Rate of Growth of Marlboro Red" from PM researcher Myron E. Johnston to Robert B. Seligman. Bates No. 2022849875/9880.
"It is important to know as much as possible about teenage smoking patterns and attitudes. Today's teen-ager is tomorrow's potential regular customer and the overwhelming majority of smokers first begin to smoke while in their teens. . . . The smoking patterns of teen-agers are particularly important to Philip Morris. . . the share index is highest in the youngest group for all Marlboro and Virginia Slims packings. At least a part of the success of Marlboro Red during its most rapid growth period was because it became the brand of choice among teenagers who then stuck with it as they grew older. " March 31, 1981 market research report on young smokers titled "Young Smokers Prevalence, Trends, Implications, and Related Demographic Trends," written by Philip Morris researcher Myron E. Johnston and approved by Carolyn Levy and Harry Daniel. Bates No. 1000390803.
“The ability to attract new smokers and develop them into a young adult franchise is key to brand development.” 1999 Philip Morris report, "Five-Year Trends 1988-1992." Bates No. 2044895379/484
R.J. Reynolds (Winston, Camel, Salem)
"In view of the need to reverse the preference or Marlboros among younger smokers, I wonder whether comic strip type copy might get a much higher readership among younger people than any other type of copy." April 12, 1973 RJR marketing memo, "The Following are the Principle Thoughts Which I Had..." Bates No. 500165434 -5439.
"At the outset it should be said that we are presently, and I believe unfairly, contrained from directly promoting cigarettes to the youth market; that is, to those in the approximately twenty-one year old and under group. Statistics show, however, that large, perhaps even increasing, numbers in that group are becoming smokers each year, despite bans on promotion of cigarettes to them. If this be so, there is certainly nothing immoral or unethical about our Company attempting to attract those smokers to our products...Realistically, if our Company is to survive and prosper, over the long term we must get our share of the youth market." A 1973 RJR draft paper, "Some Thoughts About New Brands of Cigarettes For the Youth Market." Bates No 502987357 -7368.
"They represent tomorrow's cigarette business. . . As this 14-24 age group matures, they will account for a key share of the total cigarette volume -- for at least the next 25 years." September 30, 1974 R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. marketing plan presented to the company's board of directors. Bates No. 501421310 -1335
"[Camel advertising will create] the perception that Camel smokers are non-conformist, self-confident and project a cool attitude, which is admired by their peers. . . Aspiration to be perceived as cool/a member of the in-group is one of the strongest influences affecting the behavior of younger adult smokers." March 12, 1986 letter, "Camel New Advertising Campaign Development." Bates No. 503969238 -9242
Brown & Williamson (Kool, Tareyton, Lucky Strike, GPC)
"It's a well-known fact that teen-agers like sweet products. Honey might be considered." September 1972 memo to Brown & Williamson from Marketing Innovations, "Youth Cigarette - New Concepts." Bates No. 170042014.
"KOOL'S stake in the 16- to 25-year-old population segment is such that the value of this audience should be accurately weighted and reflected in current media programs. As a result, all magazines will be reviewed to see how efficiently they reach this group and other groups as well." February 21, 1973 untitled Brown & Williamson marketing memo from Brand Manager R. L. Johnson memo to Executive VP Pittman on the Latest Black Study. Bates No. 680135996- 680136002.
"The studies reported on youngsters' motivation for starting, their brand preferences, etc., as well as the starting behavior of children as young as 5 years old. . . The studies examined examination [sic] of young smokers' attitudes towards 'addiction,' and contain multiple references to how very young smokers at first believe they cannot become addicted, only to later discover, to their regret, that they are." 1980 report, "Apparent Difficulties and Relevant Facts." Bates No. 689753864.
Lorillard (Newport, Kent, True) “We’re adults. You’ve got a group of talented kids. Hence this letter. We have been asked by our client to come up with a package design… a design that is attractive to kids…While this cigarette is geared to the youth market, no attempt (obvious) can be made toencourage persons under twenty-one to smoke. The package design should be geared to attract the youthful eye… not the ever-watchful eye of the Federal Government.” August 13, 1970 letter from Lorillard advertising account executive to a marketing professor, solicitinghelp from his students with advertising design. Bates No. 92352889.
"Our profile taken locally shows this brand [Newport] being purchased by black people (all ages), young adults (usually college age), but the base of our business is the high school student." August 30, 1978 Lorillard memo from Achey to CEO Curtis Judge about the "fantastic success" of Newport. Bates No. TINY0003062. return to the top of
this page 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000.
2. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Washington: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, 1964. PHS Publication No. 1103.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking-Attributable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost–United States, 1984. MMWR 1997 46:444-51.
4. National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA, 1999.
5. Tobacco Prevention in West Virginia: A Progress Report, April 2003 pg 5.
6. Tobacco Prevention in West Virginia: A Progress Report, April 2003 pg 4
7. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Annual national drug survey results from the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. Office of Applied Studies, August 1999.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Incidence of Initiation of Cigarette Smoking United Sates, 1965-1996. MMWR;47:837-840.
9. West Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey, 2003 page 1.
10. West Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey, 2003 page 5.
11. West Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey, 2003 page 28.
12. Brownson, 1997; Information provided by the TTAC’s Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium College Tobacco Prevention Resource, http://www.ttac.org/college/facts/negative-effects.html.
13. WVYTS page 29
14. EPA, 1993 The CDC estimates that ETS causes 35,000 ischemic heart disease deaths per year in the U.S. CDC, 2002.
15. Halperin and Eytan; TTAC, http://www.ttac.org/college/facts/negative-effects.html.
16. Brown, 1996; TTAC, http://www.ttac.org/college/facts/negative-effects.html
17. Rigotti, 2000; ; TTAC, http://www.ttac.org/college/facts/negative-effects.html
18. Wechsler, 1998; TTAC, http://www.ttac.org/college/facts/negative-effects.html
19. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000.
20. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Determination of nicotine, pH, and moisture content of six U.S. commercial moist snuff products — Florida, January–February 1999. MMWR 1999; 48:398-401.
21. Federal Trade Commission Report to Congress for 1998, Pursuant to the Federal Cigarette
Labeling and Advertising
Act. Issued: 2000.
23 Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States Department of Labor. Employment Cost trends data. Available at http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymost?ec
24. tobaccofreekids.org Copyright © 2002 National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids
25. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 2003-08-13,
http://tobaccofreekids.org/Script/DisplayPressRelease.php3?Display=682
pie chart à American College of Surgeons 2003, http://www.facs.org/cancer/coc/tobaccofinal.pdf
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tobacco | asthma | events | donations | volunteer | news | history | links | contact |
