Tobacco control progress in Massachusetts 1993 to 1995

14 Pages·1996·1.1 MB·English

by  Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Health

Reducing the
risk:
Preventing teen smoking
Massachusetts.
in
1^
What has Massachusetts done to fight this trend?
Afteran encouraging period ofgradual decline in the 1970s and early Youth activities sponsored bythe Mass-
achusetts Tobacco Control Pro- —
1980s, cigarette smokingamongteens is risingacross the United States. gram can be seen all across the
(
Massachusetts teens are participating in the trend: 36 percentofhigh state. Asyou drive byaneighbor- \
hood softballgame, looktwice at \
school studentswere smokingin 1995, up from 30 percent in 1993.2 the billboards and banners. You \
might notice that instead of adver- \
Researchers attribute this alarming trend partlyto the massive and effective tising cigarettes, theyare announc- \
marketing campaigns oftobacco companies. Despite the factthat mail-ordei ing, "It's time we made smoking \
history."An estimated 900,000 \
"gear" is supposedto be available to adults only, almost halfofthe 12 to 17 youngpeople have attended some \
3,000 eventswhere local programs \
year-old smokers in Massachusetts reported owninga promotional item present the tobacco control message. V
distributed bytobacco companies. The availabilityofcigarettes toyoung Because actions speak louderthan Amongthe most powerful tobacco
words, especiallytoyoung people, control messengers are over 1,000teens
people is another barrierto smoking prevention. Even though most you'll see "no smoking" signs at agrow- who have signed up toworkasyouth
states, like Massachusetts, prohibit the iatntgenndu.mTbheerseofienvcelnutdsetehvaetnttseeantsFleiknewtaoy paebeorutletaodbearsc.coThcoentpreoelralnedadaerbsoulteahrnow
to educate otheryouth. They spread
sale ofcigarettes to minors, over Park, Foxboro Stadium, and Fleet Cen-
ter, homes of the Boston Red Sox, New theword through one-on-one informal
75 percent of8th and 10th graders counseling, through plays and presen-
England Patriots, Boston Celtics and
tations at school events, and bywork-
nationwide saythat buying cigarettes Boston Bruins. ing in grassroots tobacco control
is "easy."1 The message is often designed to be tan- campaigns. More than halfofthepeer
gible and involving. About 65,000youth leaders represent racial or ethnic
have signed apledge to stay smokefree. minorities, ensuringthatthe message
Theyreceived the Smoke-free Card and is delivered broadlythrough the
—
an immediate tangible benefit dis- youth population.
counts at over 200 participating retail
— In addition tothese grassroots activi-
stores aswell as the potential for bet-
ties, the statewide media campaign has
ter long-term health. aired spots on TVand radio programs
Someteens need help resisting the popularwith teens. While showing
temptation to start smoking or tryingto kids how the tobacco companies are
P quit. Over400 multi-session programs encouragingthem to smoke, they
have educated over6,900youngpeople also illustrate some ofthe health effects
inthe risks ofsmokingand in strategies ofsmokingand encourage policies
forstaying smoke-free. Several schools that limityouth access to tobacco.
have initiated programswhere students Reinforcingthe mediacampaignare
who have been caught smoking can presentations across the state bypublic
attend education and cessation work- figureswith apersonal storyto tell
shops rather than being suspended. about tobacco.
SHOP Is the Tobacco Control Program working?
Q.UICK
Thereare threeindicators Supportcontinuesfor restrictionson
marketingtobaccoto youth.
thatthe program is The majorityofadults surveyed both
i
contributingto progress 1993and 1995 saidthatdistributing
freesampf ofcigarettes should not be
toward thegoal ofeliminating
permitted, id vendingmachines
teen smoking: support forrestri hould be banned. Most feltthattobac-
tivepolicies, improved storekee; ocompanies should not beallowed to
sponsorsportingand cultur-
npliance and increased local and that Tshirts
;,
toreduceyout' otheritemswith
;
igarette brand logos
tobacco.
should be banned.
The reason seems
70%of
Massachusetts
dults believethat
the tobaccocompanies
deliberately use advertising
paignstoget
The Tobacco Control Program isalso ingpeopleto startsmoking.
mobilizingadults to help keep k ingand enforcemer Massachusetts residentsare
smoking. The program helps265 local .pparently moreaware than
• 18,700 checks have been madeon
BoardsofHealththrough81 funded here ofthedetrimen-
whetherstoreswere displaying signs
programs to enactand enforce local ordi ffectsoftobaccoadvertising. The
prohibitingtobacco salestoyouth
nancesthat make it harder foryouth to underage 18; checks were done by 1995 surveyasked adults in the state
buytobacco products. Often supported over90percentofthe programs; howthey feltaboutthe federal gov-
by theyouth peer leaders, the Boards rnment's proposalsto restricttobacco
haveworked forordinances that restrict • 66ofthe 81 programs have conductec agazines read by many
cigarette sales from vending machines, 1 1,000checks in 247citiesand towns ungpeople. The majority (63%)
limit certain types ofadvertisingand inwhich underageyouth attempted tc pported the proposal to limittobac-
marketingthat appeal especiallytoteens buycigarettes; and ) advertisingtoblackandwhitetext
r4,700check npli, :• with tly, with nopictures. In contrast, a
tobacco products. dingmachine bythe Associated Press found
With guidelinesand trainingprovided by i conducted. hatonly40% ofadults nationwide
the Tobacco Control Program, local deliberatelytargetyouth? held thii
Endnotes
1 Monitoringthe Future Study, Universityof Michigan, 1995.
2 Shari M. Kessel 1995 MassachusettsYouth Risk Behavior Survey Results. Boston: Mass-
achusetts Department ofEducation, 1996.
'Antismoking Bid by Clinton Finds Oppositionjn Poll. Boston Globe, August 11, 1995,
page 1. ,
4 Office on Smokingand Health, CDC. "Tobacco Use and Usual Source of Cigarettes
Among High School Students — United States, 1995" Morbidityand MortalityWeekly
Report. 1996;4M13-418.
The Massachusetts Tobacco Survey
''" The MassachusettsAdultTobacco Survey
This reportincludes data from the adult sample ofthe 1993 Massachusetts Tobacco Survey
(MTS) and from the 1995 Massachusetts Adult, Tobacco Survey (MATS). Botharetele-
phone surveysofrepresentative samples ofaclults livingin households in the Common-
wealth. The MTS, conducted in late 1993and early 1994, reached over 11,500 households
across the stateand interviewed4,700adults in'depth. The MATS is an ongoingsurvey,
conductinginterviewswith asample ofhouseholds each month since March 1995. The
MATS data in this reportcome from lnterview^/with individuals in 5,688 households,
including in-depth interviewswith 2,656adiifte. The MTS and MATS are carried outby
the Center for Survey Research atthe UniversityofMassachusetts, Boston, underthe
direction of Lois Biener, Ph.D.
The Independent Evaluation OfThe MTCP
Dataon MTCPactivities come from the MTCP Management Information System (MIS),
which is maintained as partofthe Independent Evaluation. Local and statewide programs
funded by MTCPprovide routine reports on characteristics oftheprograms, activitiescon-
ductedandservicesprovided each month, and the characteristics ofprogram participants.
The Independent Evaluation is carried outbyAbtAssociates Inc. underthedirection of
William Hamilton, Ph.D.
The MTS, MATS, and Independent Evaluation are supported bythe Health
Protection Fund, established upon passage ofvoterreferendum Question 1
(Tobacco Excise Tax) in November 1992. Foradditional information, call the
Massachusetts DepartmentofPublic Health [phone].
1995
I
Making Progress
Toward Quitting
Cigarette Smoking is a Serious Addiction. What has Massachusetts done to help
smokers quit?
In 1995 21.7percent ofadultsin the from actuallydoing it. Indeed, most Cessation Counseling
Commonwealth were smokers. Almost ofthe smokers had tried to quitin Smokers often need
all said theywanted to quit at some the past, and failed. Seventy-six per- help in quitting, and
time in the future, and 62 percent cent ofcurrent smokers saytheyare the Massachusetts Tobac
hoped to quitwithin six months. physicallyaddicted to cigarettes. co Control Program has funded
Intendingto quit, however, is different numerous local programs to
provide that help. Cessation
—
Massachusettssmoking prevalence 1995 counseling sessions are
Do notplanto offered by Boards of
—14%
quit
Health, health cen-
ters, public schools
and othercommunity
Wanttoqu—it agencies. More than4,200
someday 24% smokers participated in group ces-
sation counseling sessions and 7,800
smokers have received individual
cessation counselingthrough these
programs in 1994 and 1995. The the twoyears. An additional 48,000
Smoker's Quitline has counseled smokerswere referredto other
5,600 smokers bytelephone during providers forcessation counseling.
Wanttoquit
within six
months—62%
Numberofsmokersreceivingcessationservicesin1994and1995
Whathelps?
Research has shown that severalthings
improve smokers' chances ofquitting
successfully.
Reducingthe number ofcigarettes
smoked perday
Making repeated attempts to quit
Usingthe nicotine patch or
nicotine gum
Receivingadvice from health
care provider
Usingcessation services
Prolongingtime to first cigarette of
the day
^
What progress being made? 1993
is
Smokersare getting the Fewer pregnantwomen are smoking. Smokers are waiting
media message. Pregnant women aregettingthe mes- longerto light up.
The mediacampaign issuccessfully sage that smoking posesseriousrisks Signilieantlyfewer
reaching Massac! fortheirbabies. In 1995the rate of smokersare highly
Largeproportions report smokingduring pregnancyamong dependenton ciga-
quitsmoUinginformation from TV, women in the Perinatal PrimaryCare rettesin 1995ascom
Programwasdown by 1.3percentage pared to 1993. Smok
16 points, from 21.3in 1994to20% 1995. the firstcigarette ofthed
, from th within 30 minutesofwak
—
billboards, publ ingisasign ofaddiction
sportat Percapita packsofcigarettespurchased the smokeris tryingto restorethe
brochures. Sixty-two tine level in the blood which has
percentofth. decreased duringsleep. Waitingui
thatthe infor latertosmokeindicates lessdepen
very"or
'helpful.
Smokers are cutting down.
Smokersare smokingsignificantly
' aretteseachday. Theaverage
okerinthe 1993surveyreported
oking20cigarettesperday,corn-
redto 16perdayin the 1995survey,
e numberoflightsmokers (those
osmoke fewerthan 10cigarettesa
More doctors are advising their
f) hasincreasedandthenumberof
patients to quit.
okers (morethanapacka
PercentofsmokersreceivingMDadvicetoquit In 1993, only47percentofMassachu- dav) hasdecreased, an important indi-
60% setts smokerswho had seen theirhealth Cigarette sales are down. be due to people quitting smokingas cation ofprogress towardsquitting.
r 55% careproviderin the previousyearsaid Cigarette purchases in Ma sachusetts wellas to reductions in the amount
C50°4 ^i theywereadvised to quit smokingdur- the 1992 theysmoke. The 1995 survey found
I 43% ingthatvisit. In 1995, 55 percentof sli^hlK lower people smoking than in There is moreto be done.
smokers reported that theirdoctorhad rertes. Purchasesin 1992 amounted to 1993: areduction from 22.6to Over900,000 Massachusettssmokers
advised them toquit. Massachusetts 117packs per Massachusetts resident 21.7percentofadults. Although the want toquitsmoking, but smokingces-
doctorsaredoing much betterthan aged 18orolder. By 1995, purchases change in percentages is toosmall to t sation isa longand difficult process.
fell to 98 packs per person. This 16 per- statistically significant, it corresponds Sustained supportand encouragement
the springof 1996' indicated thatonly cent drop is more than triplethe 5 per- toan estimated 39,200 fewersmokers are important. The Massachusetts
43percentofsmokersin the United cent decline in the rest ofthe nation anion" Massachusetts adults. TobaccoControl Programwill be
no/ I , States received advice toquitduringa duringthesameperiod.3 That dropcan continuingthe effort to "...make
Massachusetts smoking history."
Endnotes
Surveyof Health Practices. Center for Survey Research, May 1996.
2 Tobacco Institute. Percapita figures are based on the population ofpersons aged
18and older.
The MassachusettsTobacco Survey
The MassachusettsAdultTobacco Survey
This report includes data from the adultsample ofthe 1993 Massachusetts Tobacco Survey
(MTS) and from the 1995 Massachusetts AdultTobacco Survey (MATS). Both are tele-
phone surveysofrepresentative samplesofadults in the Commonwealth. The MTS, con-
ducted in late 1993 and early 1994, reached over 11,500 households acrossthe stateand
interviewed4,700adults in depth. The MATS is an ongoingsurvey, conductinginterviews
with asample ofhouseholds each month since March 1995. The MATS datacome from
interviewswith individuals in 5,688 households, includingin-depth interviewswith 2,656
adults. The MTS and MATSare carried outbythe Centerfor Survey Researchatthe Uni-
versityof Massachusetts, Boston, underthedirection ofLois Biener, Ph.D.
The Independent Evaluation OfThe MTCP
Dataon MTCPactivities come from the MTCPManagement Information System (MIS),
which is maintainedas partofthe Independent Evaluation. Localandstatewide programs
funded byMTCPprovide routine reports on characteristics oftheprograms, activitiescon-
ductedandservicesprovided each month, and the characteristics ofprogram participants.
The Independent Evaluation is carried outbyAbtAssociates Inc. underthe direction of
William Hamilton, Ph.D.
The MTS, MATS, and Independent Evaluation are supportedbythe Health
Protection Fund, established upon passage ofvoterreferendum Question 1
(Tobacco Excise Tax) in November 1992. Foradditional information, call the
Massachusetts DepartmentofPublic Health [phone].