Montana Teen smoking rate is declining

Smoking among Montana high school students has fallen to its lowest level in 10 years.

The drop-off is attributed to statewide comprehensive tobacco prevention programs and higher cigarette taxes. In 2003, 22.9 percent of Montana high school students said they were smokers, down from 28.5 percent in 2001.

That's 87.1 percent of youth who do not smoke (the percentage of adults is about the same).

Since 2000 Montana has received funds from the lawsuit against the tobacco companies. Despite the efforts during the legislature to cut the funds that go out to the county tobacco prevention programs, there has been impressive progress in educating youth and adults on the tragic health risks and costs of tobacco disease. These local level efforts are creating strong waves of Change in attitudes and policies about the use of tobacco.

Attitudes are also changing about smoking in public places not only in Lake County and Montana but all over the world. More than 1,700 cities and six states have enacted some sort of smoking ban in public buildings.

Entire countries o Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Bhutan and Uganda o have smoke-free regulations.

There are huge health benefits to having smoke-free public places. Secondhand smoke is linked to lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma and other breathing problems, sudden infant death syndrome, breast cancer and many other diseases.

By continued funding of the comprehensive statewide tobacco prevention program that had a unanimous public vote in the 2002 election and increasing the cost of tobacco products, continuing progress can be made on this serious health issue created by the use of tobacco that has cost the lives of thousands of Montanans as well as hundreds of millions of dollars for health care.

Progress in tobacco prevention and education is happening in Lake County, thanks to all who support the struggle.

Teri Boettcher is the tobacco prevention program coordinator for the Lake County Health Department