Smoking among Utah adults has dropped 25 percent since the state initiated aggressive tobacco prevention programs six years ago, according to a new report from the Utah Department of Health.
That's 29,000 fewer smokers since 1999, credited largely to programs funded by the master settlement agreement between states and big tobacco companies, the report says.
"What this shows is if you have a sustainable program and you continue with that program . . . you can see results," said Beverly May, regional advocacy director for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "I think that we have every reason to be proud."
The state's current adult smoking rate — 10.5 percent — is the lowest since 1984, when the health department began tracking smoking rates, according to the 2005 Tobacco Prevention and Control in Utah annual report.
Programs highlighted in this week's report include the TRUTH advertising campaign, Utah Tobacco Quit Line and Utah QuitNet, as well as school and community-based initiatives.
The study also notes that child and adolescent exposure to secondhand smoke at home has declined by 44 percent since 2001, meaning 18,000 fewer children are at risk for health problems related to secondhand smoke. Also, the smoking rate for high school students decreased by 39 percent since 1999, according to the report.
Although the numbers are impressive, tobacco use continues to be a problem in Utah, cautioned Lena Dibble of the department's Tobacco Prevention and Control program.
"We still know that a lot of people in Utah use tobacco, we still know that it's costing the state a lot of money. So it's not over yet," Dibble said.
May agreed. "I'm not going to say we've beat the battle here in Utah, because I don't think we have."
Nearly 200,000 Utahns currently smoke, and tobacco use costs the state $530 million each year from smoking-related medical and productivity costs, according to the report. Additionally, 1,100 Utahns die each year from tobacco use.
Utah receives between $30 million and $35 million annually from the master settlement agreement, and about $4 million of that goes to the state Department of Health for the prevention and control programs evaluated in this week's report. The department gets another $3 million from cigarette taxes as well as about $2 million in matching federal funds.
"We don't have an incredibly highly funded program, which we're not complaining about. We do a lot with the money we have," Dibble said.
Many states have seen a decrease in funding for tobacco programs, which is often accompanied by a spike in smoking rates, she said. Utah has maintained approximately the same level of funding since 1999, while also seeing continued success.
"We're glad that we're not only able to maintain those gains but to also see some improvements as well," she said.
Certain populations remain more likely to smoke than others, and the health department will target some of those over the next year, Dibble said. A newly funded group will focus on Pacific Islanders, and work targeting Hispanics will continue into 2006.
According to figures released this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, retailers throughout the nation are continuing to reduce tobacco sales to youths. In Utah, the agency reported an 8 percent violation rate, compared to 12 percent nationwide. In 1996, when retail inspections began, the rate was 40 percent.
E-mail: awelling@desnews.com