2008 Georgia Program and Data Summary: TOBACCO USE The health and economic burden of tobacco use in Georgia is high. Tobacco use remains a leading preventable cause of disease and death in Georgia. A large majority of adult smokers (about 80%) begin smoking before the age of 18. Tobacco use is responsible for more than 10,000 deaths in Georgia every year and costs approximately $5 billion in direct adult and infant medical expenditures and productivity losses. Established in 2000, the Georgia Tobacco Use Prevention Program is a comprehensive program designed to meet the overall goal of reducing the health and economic burden associated with tobacco use. Every year, the Program plans, implements and evaluates activities designed to reduce tobacco-related illnesses and deaths. Best practice strategies are developed to focus on the following goal areas: Preventing the initiation of tobacco use among young people Promoting quitting among young people and adults Eliminating exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke Identifying and eliminating the disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among various population groups The Georgia Tobacco Use Prevention Program is collaborating with the 18 public health districts, non-profit health agencies, and various partners and youth groups on the following activities: Georgia Schools are Becoming Tobacco Free! Youth tobacco use is a public health problem. Nineteen percent of Georgia's high school students smoke cigarettes. The Tobacco Free Schools Project was initiated in 2005 to continue to reduce teen tobacco use and youth exposure to secondhand smoke in Georgia. This best practice intervention is one component of a comprehensive approach to reduce overall teen tobacco use by establishing a comprehensive policy prohibiting tobacco use 24 hours a day, 7 days per week , by students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The policy applies to buildings, grounds, property, and vehicles used to transport students, and at off-campus school-sponsored events. This initiative is in accordance with the Georgia Smokefree Air Act of 2005. Prevention and cessation programs for youth and adults, signage, and peer education are vital elements of reducing teen tobacco use. Since the beginning of the project, 32 out of 181 school districts in Georgia have adopted the comprehensive policy, protecting approximately 600,000 youth from the dangers of secondhand smoke, a known Class A carcinogen. For more details on the Tobacco Free Schools Project, call the Georgia Tobacco Use Prevention Program at 404-657-0792. Smoking Cessation The Georgia Tobacco Quit Line is the core of the program's tobacco cessation efforts. It is a catalyst for reducing Georgia's smoking prevalence rates from 24% in 2004 to 20% in 2006. The Quit Line is a free service for all Georgia residents 13 years of age and older. It provides telephone-based cessation counseling and follow-up by a certified tobacco cessation specialist. The counseling services are offered in both English and Spanish, as well as for the hearing impaired. A Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Pilot Program was launched on July 1, 2008. The pilot was implemented in five health districts with the highest tobacco prevalence rates: Northwest (1-1) North Georgia (1-2) South (8-1) Coastal (9-1) Southeast (9-2) 95,722 resident tobacco users 55,664 resident tobacco users 39,199 resident tobacco users 81,855 resident tobacco users 56,847 resident tobacco users or 27% of the population or 24% of the population or 25% of the population or 25% of the population or 26% of the population To qualify for the NRT pilot program adults must be 18 years of age and older, reside in one of the participating health public districts, be uninsured, and enroll in the multiple counseling program. Participants can choose either nicotine patch or nicotine gum. Both choices are provided at no cost for a total of eight weeks. Medical overrides are in place for those contraindicated for the program (including pregnant women). There are 63 local cessation classes and providers throughout the state. A list of providers can be found at http://health.state.ga.us/programs/tobacco/index.asp Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-3103 ga-tobacco@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us Tobacco use costs Georgia an estimated more than $5 billion every year. DEATHS Over 10,000 Georgians die every year from tobaccorelated illnesses that is one out of every six deaths in adult Georgians. More adult males (6,500) than adult females (3,900) die from tobacco-related illnesses. Among Georgia adults ages 35 and older, cancer accounts for 42% of all deaths due to smoking, while cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases account for 32% and 26% of all deaths due to smoking, respectively. Adult smokers lose an average of 16 years of life compared to adult non-smokers. Average annual number of deaths among adults ages 35 and older, Georgia, 2002-2006 Attributed to smoking 17% CVD* 32% Cancer 42% RD* 26% Average annual deaths, all causes = 61,762 Average annual deaths attributed to smoking = 10,359 *CVD = Cardiovascular Diseases; RD= Respiratory Diseases LUNG CANCER MORTALITY Lung cancer accounts for 75% of all smoking-related cancer deaths in Georgia. Lung cancer is the principal cause of cancer deaths for males and females. BEHAVIORS: YOUTH Approximately 23,000 (6%) middle school students and 81,000 (19%) high school students in Georgia smoke cigarettes. Among middle school students, two in 26 boys and one in 20 girls are smokers. Among high school students, one in five boys and one in six girls are smokers. Approximately 18,000 (70%) middle school smokers and 41,000 (56%) high school smokers live with a smoker. Approximately 97,000 (29%) middle school nonsmokers and 110,000 (31%) high school nonsmokers live with a smoker. Approximately 1,400 (6%) middle school smokers and 24,000 (30%) high school smokers buy their cigarettes at gas stations or convenience stores. Rate per 100,000 Percent Average annual lung cancer incidence and mortality rates* by race and sex, Georgia, 2001-2005 In cidenc e Mor tality 140 120 110 93 100 80 60 40 20 0 106 85 42 31 58 43 Black males White males Black White females females *Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population Percent of cigarette smokers by school type and sex, Georgia, 2007 30 M ale Female 21 20 17 10 8 5 0 Middle School High School Youth cigarette smokers are defined as those who have smoked at least one cigarette in the last 30 days. Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health 2 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 657-3103 ga-tobacco@dhr.state.ga.us http://health.state.ga.us BEHAVIORS: ADULTS Approximately 1.3 million (19%) adults in Georgia smoke cigarettes. 21% of adult males and 18% 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. Counties in the northwest, south central, west central and southeast regions of the state have the highest adult smoking prevalence. Percent Percentage of adults who smoke, by education and sex, Georgia, 2007 50 39 40 31 30 20 10 Male Female 27 23 26 21 97 0