Tobacco:
 
Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Smoking results in more deaths each year in the United States than AIDS, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, motor vehicle crashes, and fires--combined.

Tobacco-related deaths number more than 430,000 per year among U.S. adults, representing more than 5 million years of potential life lost. Direct medical costs attributable to smoking total at least $50 billion per year.

In 1999, 35 percent of adolescents were current cigarette smokers. In 1998, 24 percent of adults were current cigarette smokers.

Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and chronic lung diseases--all leading causes of death. Smoking during pregnancy can result in miscarriages, premature delivery, and sudden infant death syndrome. Other health effects of smoking result from injuries and environmental damage caused by fires.

In Arizona, a CDC report released in November 2000, showed Arizona to be near the bottom among the states when it comes to smoking by adults. Arizona had a rate of 20 percent, based on one 1999 survey. According to an ADHS survey, 23.8 percent of Arizona adults reported smoking in 1996. In 1999, the number was down to 18.8 percent. This represented a 21 percent decrease in smokers. 

The greatest challenge that remains is reduction of tobacco use among adolescents whose rates tend to be higher here, as in the rest of the nation.

Second-hand tobacco smoke, which is also a significant threat to health, is addressed in the section on Environmental Health (p.34).

Objective #1 
Reduce tobacco use by youth in 6^th - 8^th grades.
 
Strategy 1.1 
Build and maintain Arizona Department of Health Services' (ADHS) capacity to effectively and efficiently administer a statewide tobacco control program (i.e. TEPP).
Strategy 1.2 
Develop and support community-based tobacco control programs which provide comprehensive services (i.e. Local Projects)
Strategy 1.3 
Establish a statewide tobacco control clearinghouse which can provide information, referrals, educational materials, technical assistance, and training (i.e. ATIN).
Strategy 1.4 
Establish a statewide mass media campaign which promotes comprehensive tobacco control using television, radio, print, outdoor, and other appropriate media.

Objective #2 
Reduce tobacco use by adolescents in 9^th - 12^th grades.
 
Strategy 2.1 
Build and maintain Arizona Department of Health Services' (ADHS) capacity to effectively and efficiently administer a statewide tobacco control program (i.e. TEPP).
Strategy 2.2 
Develop and support community-based tobacco control programs which provide comprehensive services (i.e. Local Projects).
Strategy 2.3 
Establish a statewide tobacco control clearinghouse which can provide information, referrals, educational materials, technical assistance, and training (i.e. ATIN).
Strategy 2.4 
Establish a statewide toll-free telephone help line for information, materials, referrals, and assistance with tobacco dependence (i.e. ATIN, ASHline).
Strategy 2.5 
Establish a statewide mass media campaign which promotes comprehensive tobacco control using television, radio, print, outdoor, and other appropriate media.

Objective #3  
Reduce tobacco use by adults.
 
Strategy 3.1 
Build and maintain Arizona Department of Health Services' (ADHS) capacity to effectively and efficiently administer a statewide tobacco control program (i.e. TEPP).
Strategy 3.2 
Develop and support community-based tobacco control programs which provide comprehensive services (i.e. Local Projects).
Strategy 3.3 
Establish a statewide tobacco control clearinghouse which can provide information, referrals, educational materials, technical assistance, and training (i.e. ATIN).
Strategy 3.4 
Establish a statewide toll-free telephone help line for information, materials, referrals, and assistance with tobacco dependence (i.e. ATIN, ASHline).
Strategy 3.5 
Establish a statewide mass media campaign which promotes comprehensive tobacco control using television, radio, print, outdoor, and other appropriate media.