Introduction: Smoking: A Bad Behavior That Kills
Smoking kills, this has been a public knowledge since January of 1964, when the Surgeon General released the first warning of smoking on health effects. The advisory warned users that cigarettes are a cause of lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Through the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 and the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969 regulations on tobacco products were implemented. These regulations required a health warning to be put on cigarette packages and banned advertisement on broadcast media, and an annual report on the effects of smoking became a requirement (CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], 2012a).
However, with all of the warnings of chronic …show more content…
Overall social, economic, cultural, health and environment play a role in an individual’s decision to use tobacco. Missourians, unlike many other states, are not protected by laws regulating designated smoking areas, nor do they require separate ventilation for buildings where smoking is allowed. Smokers in Missouri also take advantage of the lowest state tax rate on cigarettes at .17 cents per carton (CDC, 2015a).
Living and working conditions factor into social determinates of smoking. Individuals living in poverty have a higher smoking rate than those not living in poverty. The same goes for the less educated populations. Individuals who have earned a post-graduate degree have a smoking rate at 5.9 percent whereas those who only earn a GED have smoking rate increased up to 41.4 percent (CDC, 2015b). From a global perspective approximately 80 percent of the world’s smokers live in low or middle income countries (WHO, 2015).
Social, family, and community networks also influence a person’s decision to use tobacco products. Tobacco companies “give back” to the community by giving grants that support community organizations and schools. Tobacco companies also gain allegiance with the community by providing jobs for members (CDC, …show more content…
Healthy People 2020 suggest that approximately 8.4 percent of individuals start smoking cigarettes between the age of 18 and 25 Healthy People 2020 has set a two percent decrease goal rate for this age range of individuals (Healthy People, 2015a). In Missouri the percent of youth smokers is 14.9 percent (CDC, 2014a). Evidence based research is a key component to decreasing the initiation of smoking cigarettes. Setting goals to reach lower rates of smoking in 18-25 year olds is also crucial to the process.
Intervention Strategy The biggest challenge in decreasing the rate of 18-25 year old smokers in Missouri is changing policies on tobacco. An increase on the price of tobacco will reduce the number of tobacco users, initiation of youth smokers, and health care cost, as well as increase quit rates. Research strongly suggests that youth and young adults are most sensitive to increased tobacco prices. Therefore, by increasing the price of cigarettes by 20 percent the percent of youth initiation will be reduced by 9 percent (County Health Rankings, 2014a). The next obstacle in tackling the tobacco epidemic is a comprehensive statewide program. Strong evidence indicates that an aggressive tobacco program helps to reduce the initiation of youth smokers and improve health outcomes (County Health Rankings,
Smoking kills, this has been a public knowledge since January of 1964, when the Surgeon General released the first warning of smoking on health effects. The advisory warned users that cigarettes are a cause of lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Through the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965 and the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969 regulations on tobacco products were implemented. These regulations required a health warning to be put on cigarette packages and banned advertisement on broadcast media, and an annual report on the effects of smoking became a requirement (CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], 2012a).
However, with all of the warnings of chronic …show more content…
Overall social, economic, cultural, health and environment play a role in an individual’s decision to use tobacco. Missourians, unlike many other states, are not protected by laws regulating designated smoking areas, nor do they require separate ventilation for buildings where smoking is allowed. Smokers in Missouri also take advantage of the lowest state tax rate on cigarettes at .17 cents per carton (CDC, 2015a).
Living and working conditions factor into social determinates of smoking. Individuals living in poverty have a higher smoking rate than those not living in poverty. The same goes for the less educated populations. Individuals who have earned a post-graduate degree have a smoking rate at 5.9 percent whereas those who only earn a GED have smoking rate increased up to 41.4 percent (CDC, 2015b). From a global perspective approximately 80 percent of the world’s smokers live in low or middle income countries (WHO, 2015).
Social, family, and community networks also influence a person’s decision to use tobacco products. Tobacco companies “give back” to the community by giving grants that support community organizations and schools. Tobacco companies also gain allegiance with the community by providing jobs for members (CDC, …show more content…
Healthy People 2020 suggest that approximately 8.4 percent of individuals start smoking cigarettes between the age of 18 and 25 Healthy People 2020 has set a two percent decrease goal rate for this age range of individuals (Healthy People, 2015a). In Missouri the percent of youth smokers is 14.9 percent (CDC, 2014a). Evidence based research is a key component to decreasing the initiation of smoking cigarettes. Setting goals to reach lower rates of smoking in 18-25 year olds is also crucial to the process.
Intervention Strategy The biggest challenge in decreasing the rate of 18-25 year old smokers in Missouri is changing policies on tobacco. An increase on the price of tobacco will reduce the number of tobacco users, initiation of youth smokers, and health care cost, as well as increase quit rates. Research strongly suggests that youth and young adults are most sensitive to increased tobacco prices. Therefore, by increasing the price of cigarettes by 20 percent the percent of youth initiation will be reduced by 9 percent (County Health Rankings, 2014a). The next obstacle in tackling the tobacco epidemic is a comprehensive statewide program. Strong evidence indicates that an aggressive tobacco program helps to reduce the initiation of youth smokers and improve health outcomes (County Health Rankings,