Utah public health officials on Friday hailed the upcoming 40th anniversary of the landmark document that acknowledged tobacco products as dangerous, but they warn that much work is left to be done to snuff out the deadly habit.
A press conference was held at the State Historical Society to recognize the Jan. 11, 1964, report by the Surgeon General's Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health. That report was America's first official recognition that cigarette smoking causes cancer and other serious diseases.
Since then, tobacco prevention programs and smoking-cessation efforts have reduced the number of U.S. smokers by 42 million.
"Anti-smoking efforts have been a major public health success," said Dr. Joseph L. Hatch, former president of the Utah Medical Association.
For example, Hatch said 42.2 percent of Americans smoked in 1964, compared with 22.8 percent now.
Hatch credits that report of nearly 40 years ago as the springboard to a flurry of anti-smoking initiatives that have drastically reduced the habit's popularity.
Tobacco advertising, for example, has encountered restrictions such as the 1969 ban on radio and television ads, meaning popular cultural icons are no longer coming over the airwaves to hawk the products. Samples of those ads were played Friday, including one segment that showed cartoon characters Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble enjoying a smoke.
Utah's own efforts in the fight against tobacco were celebrated, with officials saying the program serves as a model for the rest of the country. Utah, since 1996, is one of only two states across the country to demonstrate a decrease in smoking.
With funds from Utah's share in a nationwide tobacco settlement, the state, in conjunction with local health departments, has launched several successful programs aimed at reducing tobacco use — including the Utah Tobacco Quit Line.
Beverly May, regional director of the Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids, said the call volume has "exceeded all expectations . . . but we will have much work left to do."
May said the tobacco industry is as aggressive as ever with its advertising and lobbying of elected officials, noting that it spends $11 billion nationally every year on those efforts, including $90.8 million here to keep 200,000 Utahns lighting up.
To that end, Utah officials unveiled their latest counter-strike on Friday, announcing the placement of a south-facing electronic billboard at 2900 South and I-15.
The billboard reads, "How Many People Will Tobacco Kill This Year? 440,000."
The number will change every 72 seconds to mark the U.S. deaths linked to tobacco use.
E-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com