TOBACCO USE IN ARKANSAS FAST FACTS

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming more lives every year - 400,000 - than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, illegal drugs and fires combined. It is estimated that $604 million is spent annually for health care in Arkansas directly related to tobacco.

• Twenty-one percent of high school students and five percent of middle school students are frequent smokers of cigarettes



• Forty-four percent of high school students and 22 percent of middle school students are current users of any tobacco products (cigars, spit tobacco, pipes)



• Thirty-six percent of high school students and 16 percent of middle school students are current cigarette smokers



• Current cigar use is common with 20 percent of high school students and nine percent of middle students



• Twelve percent of high school students currently use spit tobacco and eight percent of middle school students currently use spit tobacco


The Arkansas Department of Health recently implemented "Stamp Out Smoking" (SOS), a statewide anti-tobacco campaign, to address the disturbing and deadly trends among Arkansas youths. The campaign includes traditional, as well as non-traditional advertising, marketing and public relations efforts.

The goal of the program is to stimulate social and behavioral changes. This requires strong grassroots and local action. It begins in the home, the school, the workplace - in your community. The program objectives are to implement and successfully attain:


• The formation of local coalitions, school-based programs and projects for special populations



• Increased number of homes, schools, work and public places with smoke-free policies



• Decreased tobacco consumption statewide



• Identification and elimination of the disparities related to tobacco use and its effects on population groups

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