DHSS Press Release |
Date: September 19, 2005 DHSS-89-2005 |
| Vincent P. Meconi, Secretary Jay Lynch, Communications Director (302) 255-9037, Pager (302) 247-8523 Email: jay.lynch@state.de.us |
Contact: Heidi Truschel-Light Phone: (302) 744-4907 Pager: (302) 247-1560 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DELAWARE YOUTH SMOKING RATES CONTINUE TO DECLINE
Delaware youth smoking rates continued to decline among middle and high school students, according to the Division of Public Health's (DPH) 2004 Delaware Youth Tobacco Survey. The survey shows decreasing smoking rates and strong awareness of the hazards of tobacco use among students ages 11-18. The findings indicate that DPH initiatives targeted at educating youth are reaping large rewards.
The survey found that most Delaware students know smoking is addictive and that they believe it is a health risk to smoke for only a year or two. Most students know that exposure to secondhand smoke is harmful.
The Delaware Youth Tobacco Survey was administered to 4,860 students in grades 6-12 in spring 2004. The survey, first conducted in 2000, is administered every other year. The report, "Incidence and Prevalence of Youth Tobacco Use in Delaware," contains the following highlights:
- A 32 percent decrease in the number of middle school youth who have ever tried a cigarette, from 44 percent in 2000 to 30 percent in 2004. There was an 11 percent decrease among high school students, from 66 percent in 2000 to 59 percent in 2004.
- A 40 percent decrease in smoking during the past 30 days among middle school students, from 15 percent in 2000 to 9 percent in 2004. There was a 15 percent decrease in past month tobacco use for high school students from 27 percent in 2000 to 23 percent in 2004.
- A 33 percent decrease in middle school students who have used any form of tobacco, such as cigars, smokeless (chew) tobacco, and herbal cigarettes in the past 30 days among middle school students, from 18 percent in 2000 to 12 percent in 2004. There was a corresponding 10 percent decrease among high school students, from 31 percent in 2002 to 28 percent in 2004.
- For high school students, African-Americans are less likely to be current or lifetime users of cigarettes than Hispanics or whites. In the sample, 11 percent of African-American high school students are current smoker, compared to 22 percent of Hispanics, 28 percent of whites and 18 percent who classified themselves as "other." The smoking rates for all ethnicities decreased in 2004.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke continued to decline. There was a 16 percent decrease in middle school students who reported being in the same room or car while someone was smoking, from 67 percent in 2000 to 56 percent in 2004. There was a 13 percent decrease for high school students reported exposure from 78 percent in 2000 to 68 percent in 2004.
While the results show that the trends continue to move in the right direction, those students who do smoke face more social and knowledge barriers than their non-smoking peers.
- 72 percent of middle school students who smoke also live with someone who smokes as compared to 35 percent of students who never smoked. Sixty percent of high school students who smoke live with someone who smokes, while only 32 percent of students who never smoked live with a smoker.
- 27 percent of high school students who smoke think that it is safe to smoke for several years and quit. This is up from 22 percent in 2002.
- Only 50 percent of high school smokers have tried to quit which is down from 61 percent in 2002.
Continued tobacco prevention education is vital to reach these youth and keep the trends moving in the right direction.
DPH has been a leader in tobacco prevention activities in Delaware. DPH works with other state agencies and organizations to provide youth with the knowledge of the risks of tobacco use, the skills to help prevent the initiation of tobacco use, programs to help young smokers quit, and reducing access to tobacco products. The state's comprehensive approach to tobacco prevention also includes cessation services for adults and increasing awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use among all ages through community tobacco prevention. Since most adult smokers are initiated to smoking as youth, preventing youth from beginning to smoke is one of the primary goals of the IMPACT Delaware Prevention Coalition's A Plan for Tobacco-free Delaware.
The Delaware Youth Tobacco Survey was conducted for DPH by the Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies at the University of Delaware and funded by DPH. The survey was first conducted in 2000. The full report is available at www.state.de.us/drugfree/.
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.
