2005 Georgia Data Summary: TOBACCO USE Tobacco use costs Georgia an estimated $5 billion every year. The burden of tobacco-related illness among adults in Georgia is high. DEATHS Nearly 11,000 Georgians die every year from tobacco-related illnesses that is one out of every six adult Georgians who die. 63% of tobacco-related deaths occur in males. Cancer accounts for 40% of all adult deaths due to smoking, while cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases account for 35% and 25% of all adult deaths due to smoking, respectively. Adult smokers lose an average of 15.6 years of life compared to adult non-smokers. LUNG CANCER MORTALITY Lung cancer accounts for 79% of all smoking-related cancer deaths in Georgia. Lung cancer is the principal cause of cancer deaths for males and females. BEHAVIORS: YOUTH 9% of middle and 21% of high school students in Georgia smoke cigarettes. 11% of middle school male students and 8% of middle school female students are smokers. 23% of high school male students and 19% of high school female students are smokers. Nearly three-fourths of middle school smokers and over a half of high school smokers live with a smoker. About one-third of middle school and high school non-smokers live with a smoker. Gas stations and convenience stores are the most common places where Georgia youth purchase their cigarettes. Rate per 100,000 Deaths among adults ages 35 years and older, Georgia, 2003 Attributed to smoking 17% CVD* 35% Cancer 40% RD* 25% Total adult deaths = 62,136 Adult deaths attributed to smoking = 10,813 *CVD = Cardiovascular Diseases; RD= Respiratory Diseases Lung cancer incidence and mortality rates* by race and sex, Georgia, 1998-2002 Incidence 140 116 120 101 100 80 60 40 20 0 109 91 Black males White males Mortality 40 31 56 43 Black White females females *Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population Percent of cigarette smokers by school type and sex, Georgia, 2003 Male Female 50 40 30 20 11 8 10 23 19 0 Middle School High School Percent Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-3103 gdphinfo@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us BEHAVIORS: ADULTS 23% of adult Georgians ages 18 and older smoke cigarettes. 26% of adult males and 20% of adult females are smokers. Adults with less than a high school education are more likely than adults with a high school education or above to smoke cigarettes. POLICY Over 90% of public schools in Georgia have adopted policies prohibiting tobacco use. 90% of worksites in Georgia have a formal policy prohibiting smoking on the job. Worksites with 250 or more employees are more likely than smaller worksites to have formal policies. 8% of worksites in Georgia offer smoking cessation programs to their employees. 83% of health maintenance organizations in Georgia offer assessment and counseling for tobacco cessation to all their members. FINANCIAL IMPACT Percent Percent Percent of adult smokers ages 18+ by education and sex, Georgia 2003 50 42 Male Female 40 30 29 31 25 24 21 20 15 10 10 0