Utah Tobacco Prevention and Control News Releases

New Report Shows Utah’s Progress Against Tobacco (Salt Lake City, UT) - September 17,2002

Clearfield High Student to Produce Winning Secondhand Smoke TV Ad (Salt Lake City, UT)-  May 29, 2002

Winners Awarded in Truth From Youth Advertising Contest (Salt Lake City, UT)- May 17, 2002

Truth from Youth party to provide tobacco-free fun (Salt Lake City, UT)- May 7, 2002

For Mother’s Day, Utah Department of Health Introduces New Anti-Smoking Drive Targeted at Mothers and Their Children (Salt Lake City, UT)- May 6, 2002

Phoenix Alliance Sponsors Extreme Games to Reach At-Risk Youth (Salt Lake City, UT)- April 25,2002

Utah Department of Health to Hold Smoke-Free Families Training Seminar for Pediatric and Prenatal Healthcare Providers (Salt Lake City, UT)- April 12, 2002

Compact Disc Helps Fifth Grade Students Discuss the Dangers of Tobacco with their Parents  (Salt Lake City, UT)- March 29, 2001

Surgeon General Calls for Stronger Efforts to Reduce Female Smoking (Salt Lake City, UT)- March 27, 2001

Utah Department of Health Launches Anti-Tobacco Billboard Campaign in Rural Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)- March 21, 2002

KSTU FOX 13 Involved In Public Service Campaign for the State Anti-Tobacco Campaign: FOX 13 to run a series fo anti-tobacco PSAs featuring News Talent and Utah Teens (Salt Lake City, UT)-March 6, 2001

Utah Department of Health Selects Pleasant Grove High School To Redesign Youth Against Tobacco Web Site (Salt Lake City, UT)- January 5, 2001

(September 18, 2002 to Current)

9-17-02

Contacts:
Claudia Bohner, 
Tobacco Program
801-538-9274

Lena Dibble
Tobacco Program
801-538-6917

New Report Shows Utah’s Progress Against Tobacco

(Salt Lake City, UT) - The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) today released its annual report of tobacco prevention and control activities funded through the State Tobacco Settlement Account. The results in the UDOH's "Real People, Real Savings, Real Results" Report have encouraging implications for the health of Utahns.

The UDOH's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) works with its many partners throughout the state on the priorities of preventing 4,700 Utah youth who begin using tobacco each year from starting, helping more than 200,000 Utah tobacco users in quitting, and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke of more that 55,000 Utah children and other family members. This year, several program successes occurred:

* An Adult Tobacco Quit Line was established to help thousands of Utahns quit. Demand was so impressive that, at times, Utah's call volumes met or exceeded those of states with larger populations and higher tobacco use rates. Nearly 3,600 smokers used the Quit Line and Quit Line referral services.

*An innovative TV "Reality Campaign" was produced, chronicling the real-life quitting experiences of seven Utah smokers through television ads and news specials. Research shows the campaign's hopeful and encouraging messages made a strong impact on Utah smokers.

*Media campaign efforts were expanded to better reach Utahns in rural areas.

*A highly effective quitting medication, Zyban, was made available to Medicaid patients.
*Thousands of Utah youth received anti-tobacco messages through school and community prevention activities to counter the more than $66 million spent annually in Utah by the tobacco companies to promote tobacco use.

Results highlighted by the report include:

*13,000 Utahns called the Quit Line. Quit rates were high, ranging from 25% to 30%. In the US, only about 6% of persons who try to quit smoking are successful for more than one month (Surgeon General Report, 2000).

* 90% of adults and 94% of youth recall seeing anti-tobacco ads on TV.

* 59% of adult smokers reduced smoking during the "Ready to Quit" campaign.

* 20,000 students in grades 5-8 participated in evidence-based tobacco prevention curricula.

* 13,000 students (grades K-12) created anti-tobacco ads for the anti-tobacco advertising contest .
* More than 95% of Utah middle school students report that they will not use tobacco.

"Tobacco prevention and control is one of our top priorities - we are delighted to see such significant progress being made in the fight against the devastating effects of tobacco, but we also know that there is still much to do" said Scott Williams, M.D., deputy director, UDOH. Those future goals include increasing tobacco cessation outreach and services to meet the demand as well as expanding proven anti-tobacco education programs to all of Utah's students in grades 5-12.

However, although tobacco use rates have started to decline, much remains to be done to reach UDOH goals of tobacco-free youth and easy access to quit services for all smokers. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in Utah: almost 13% of Utah adults (BRFSS 2000), and nearly one out of ten of Utah high school students are current smokers (YRBS 2001). It is estimated that one-third of those who continue to smoke will die from tobacco-related diseases. Additionally, Utah incurs more than $273 million in annual smoking-related medical costs (CDC State Highlights 2002). The UDOH received additional funding to expand tobacco prevention and control activities through the State Tobacco Settlement Account, provided by the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), the landmark legal settlement in which tobacco companies agreed to compensate states for the damage their products have caused.

Heather Borski, M.P.H., C.H.E.S., program manager, TPCP said "We look forward to expanding our efforts in the coming year. Tobacco use places a huge burden on our state - we are committed to reducing that burden, and making a difference for the better in the lives of Utahns."

The report was prepared by the UDOH's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. The Social Research Institute at the University of Utah served as the independent evaluator of this project. The full report is attached to this e-mail. 

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5-29-02 

Contact:
Lena Dibble
Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
(801) 538-6917

5-17-02

Contact:
Jana Kettering
Public Information Officer
(801) 538-6339

Lena Dibble
Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
(801) 538-6917

Winners Awarded in Truth From Youth Advertising Contest

SALT LAKE CITY, May 17, 2002 – The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) announced the winners of its fifth annual Truth From Youth Anti-tobacco Advertising Contest during an Awards Ceremony Friday, May 17, at The Gateway in Salt Lake City.Students from Utah 217 schools, clubs and organizations submitted a record 8,000 entries for the Anti-tobacco Advertising Contest. The contest accepts original advertisements from elementary, junior high and high school students in three categories; radio, television and billboard. Hundreds of Utah students gathered for the announcement of the winners and the Truth From Youth party that followed the Awards Ceremony.

Jill Bridges, a marketing teacher at Northridge High School in Layton, has had students enter the advertising contest since it started five years ago. This year, Bridges said she had nearly 200 students enter the contest. When she began her involvement in the advertising contest, Bridges said she wanted her students to learn about advertising and thought it would be a good way to do it. But as they did research and learned about the youth tobacco problem, she said, "It switched gears and the kids really got involved and got the other kids in the school really excited about it."

Bridges said she’s loved her involvement in the contest and plans to continue to participate in future years.

Forty volunteer judges for the contest included UDOH employees, local health department staff, members of the Phoenix Alliance anti-tobacco youth group, representatives from radio and television stations and other community members.

Lena Dibble, Media Coordinator for the UDOH’s Tobacco Control and Prevention Program said, "We extend our appreciation to the local health departments, teachers, parents and students who helped with Utah’s largest youth tobacco prevention effort. The contest gave youth a chance to think about the negative effects of smoking and express reasons not to use tobacco."

According to the UDOH, about 12 percent of Utah youth in grades 9 to 12 smoke. UDOH representatives hope the efforts of the Truth From Youth Anti-Tobacco Advertising Contest helps to reduce this percentage.

Contest Winners:
Best of contest winners included: Chelsea Tugaw of Mueller Park Junior High in Bountiful, billboard; Brad Baxter of Clearfield High School in Clearfield, TV; Patrick Mayers of Pine View High School in St. George, radio; and Tyler Ratterman and Luke Luna of Murray High School in Murray, radio. The winners received trophies, $400 and the opportunity to help produce and even star in their own ads, which will begin appearing this summer.

In addition, there were 37 winners in elementary, junior high and high school divisions of radio, TV and billboard categories. They received trophies and $300, $200 and $100 for first, second and third place prizes, respectively. Sixty students received honorable mention certificates. For a complete list of contest winners or other contest information, call (801) 531-0533 or visit www.youthagainsttobacco.com or www.health.utah.gov.

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5-7-02

Contact:

Jana Kettering
(801) 538-6339
Lena Dibble
(801) 538-6917

Truth from Youth party to provide tobacco-free fun

5-6-02

Contact:
Lena Dibble
Utah Department of Health
801-538-6917

3-27-01

Contacts:
Lena Dibble, Tobacco Prevention Specialist
Utah Department of Health
801-538-6917

Dr. Tamara Lewis, Chair
Utah Tobacco Advisory Committee
801-442-3946

Surgeon General Calls for Stronger Efforts to Reduce Female Smoking

(Salt Lake City, UT)- Since the first Surgeon General’s report on women and smoking in 1980, nearly three million U.S. women have died prematurely from smoking, according to an updated and expanded Surgeon General’s Report released today. U.S Surgeon General David Satcher called for stronger local efforts to implement proven solutions to reduce tobacco use among women and girls. These steps are necessary because women have been specifically targeted by the tobacco industry, which attempts to associate tobacco use with slimness and attractiveness.

The report calls for:

"The gap between male and female smoking rates has narrowed dramatically in the past 20 years in the United States, resulting in disturbing increases in smoking-related diseases among women," said Dr. Tamara Lewis, Chair, Utah Tobacco Advisory Committee. In Utah, 11.3 percent of adult women and 11.8 percent of girls in grades 9-12 smoke. (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System/ Utah Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 1999) These percentages equate to approximately 90,000 Utah women and 8,600 Utah girls (grades 9-12) who smoke.

According to the Surgeon General, lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. "Women not only share the same health risks as men, but are also faced with health consequences that are unique to women, including pregnancy complications, problems with menstrual function, and cervical cancer," Dr. Satcher said. Lung cancer rates in women have now overtaken breast cancer rates. Tobacco use also leads to heart disease, emphysema, and reproductive health problems such as infertility and miscarriage.

The best thing a woman can do for her health and her family’s health is to quit smoking. If she can quit smoking for good, her family will no longer be exposed to the risks of second hand smoke, which is associated with ear infections, colds, flu, asthma, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). If women quit smoking now, their kids will be less likely to smoke.

"To address this problem, we have state and local programs that provide smoking cessation services for pregnant women and new mothers where the highest risk exists," says Lena Dibble, Tobacco Prevention Program Specialist, Utah Department of Health. "School and community based programs for youth provide valuable resources and support to prevent them from starting the addictive habit and help those who want to quit." The statewide "Truth about Tobacco" media campaign communicates the not so glamorous facts about tobacco and provides information about resources. The truth is that smoking leads to wrinkles and yellow teeth, it is not an effective method of weight control and it can kill.

The Federal Trade Commission has reported that cigarette companies spent $8.24 billion on advertising and promotions in 1999 in the U.S., a 22.3 percent increase from the $6.73 billion spent in 1998.

A full copy of Women and Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General and other related information are available on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s web site. Health care providers, people who smoke, and anyone who would like more information should contact the Utah Tobacco Free Resource Line at 1-877-220-3466.

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3-6-01

Contacts: 

1-5-01 

Contact: 
Chantelle Kantor 
531-0533


Utah Department of Health Selects Pleasant Grove High School to Redesign Youth Against Tobacco Web Site

(Salt Lake City, UT) A coalition of 28 Pleasant Grove High School anti-tobacco youth ambassadors recently gave the Utah Department of Health’s "Truth About Tobacco-Get It!" Web site a new user-friendly design. The 2001 Web site, located at www.youthagainsttobacco.com, now gives visitors easier access to tobacco facts, event information and opportunities for youth participation. Anti-tobacco campaign representative, Mark Stevenett, said. "The Utah Department of Health chose Pleasant Grove High School ambassadors to update the site based on their incredible contributions to the anti-tobacco program in the past. "For example, PGHS ambassadors have been involved in year-round anti-tobacco activities including, sponsoring assemblies and presentations at elementary schools and hosting a mountain retreat to help peers ‘kick the tobacco habit’," Stevenett continued. "And now, their Web design expertise has made the site more navigable, user-friendly and attractive to Utah youth." The redesigning process began when PGHS ambassadors collaborated to produce a high-quality Web site designed to specifically inform Utah youth about smoking cessation, how to become peer ambassadors and how to participate in the 2001 Truth From Youth advertising contest. "Everything was an issue, from colors to focal points, graphics to fonts and page placements," Joan Smith, Pleasant Grove High School Ambassador advisor, said. "We had three main objectives in the redesigning process: to meet anti-tobacco committee standards, to show the students’ creative, high-quality workmanship and to inform youth about the dangers of tobacco by creating a site appealing to teens, yet strong enough to pass adult inspection."

According to Smith, "Senior Graham Castleton then laid out the youth ambassadors’ ideas, using logos, graphics and information provided by the UDOH, and gave the Web site a simple, organized and consistent structure that made information more accessible." "Castleton has been the main organizer of the Web site and the students have responded favorably to his work," Smith continued. "It is a big project accomplished in quite a unique fashion." Castleton concluded, "Hopefully this new design will give kids the information and the encouragement they need to quit smoking and will encourage and increase contest participation with better access to information."