Tobacco.org

2009 New Mexico Tobacco Data Highlights (PDF) 

Adult Tobacco Use

--19.3% of NM adults are current smokers, which is similar to the US smoking rate (18.3%) and the first time that adult smoking in NM has dropped below 20%.1

--NM adult smoking has dropped significantly between 2001 (23.8%) and 2008 (19.3%).1,7

--Smoking rates are highest among adults who are young (18-24 years), low-income (under $20,000/yr), low education (less than high school diploma), the unemployed, the uninsured, and among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.2,3 . . .

Youth Tobacco Use

--24.2% of NM high school students were current smokers in 2007, compared to 20% in the US. 5,11

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Estimated Benefits and Savings from the Decline in Adult Smoking Prevalence in New Mexico, 2001-2008 (PDF) 

New Mexico’s adult smoking rate dropped 4.5-percentage points, from 23.8% in 2001 to 19.3% in 2008, a statistically significant decline.1 The following estimates show the benefits and savings to New Mexico resulting from the decline in adult smoking, as supported by state investments in tobacco prevention.

Fewer Smokers

Fewer adults who are current smokers in 20081: 66,600

Ever smokers age 30+ in NM who have quit smoking2: 55.3%

Public Health Benefits3

Today’s adults saved from dying prematurely from smoking: 14,600

Thousands fewer smoking-affected births and smoking-caused heart attacks, strokes, cancers

Monetary Benefits (Reduced Public, Private & Individual Smoking-Caused Costs)

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State: New Mexico adults smoking less 

The New Mexico Department of Health announced Oct. 16 that the adult smoking rate for New Mexico has dropped to 19.3 percent, making it the lowest rate of adult smokers since 2001, when the rate was 23.8 percent of the adult population. According to a recent Department of Health survey, in 2001, there were an estimated 352,600 smokers, and this year there are 66,600 fewer smokers.

“It’s a tremendous accomplishment for anyone to quit smoking, and this significant drop in the number of New Mexicans who smoke means that more people will have the chance to live longer and healthier lives,” said Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil, M.D. “Quitting smoking can have a very positive impact on a person’s overall health. I encourage anyone who is interested in quitting to use all the resources at their disposal to help with their success.

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NM adult smoking rate drops to 19%  

The state Department of Health says fewer New Mexican adults are smokers.

A recent Department of Health survey shows New Mexico's adult smoking rate has dropped to 19% for 2008 from 24% in 2001.

It's the lowest rate since 2001 and represents 66,600 fewer smokers.

Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil calls the decrease a tremendous accomplishment for those who quit smoking.

The department estimates the reduction in smokers means New Mexicans will save about $160 million in health care costs.

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MULFORD v. ALTRIA GROUP, INC.  

Plaintiffs are smokers and have brought a class action suit against Defendants who they allege manufactured "lowered tar" or "Lights" filtered cigarettes. (Memorandum Opinion and Order at 2, Docket No. 83, filed March 16, 2007). Plaintiffs allege that Defendants violated the New Mexico Unfair Trade Practices Act ("UPA") by falsely representing that their product is "light" and/or delivers "lowered tar and nicotine" in comparison to regular cigarettes, fraudulently concealing the true nature of their "Lights" cigarettes. (Id. At 24-25). . . .

Philip Morris asked the Court to reconsider its Order because (1) the Fifth Circuit's decision in Brown is contrary to this Court's Order, and (2) the various FTC statements and FTC's enforcement conduct shows that the FTC's express policy is to permit the "lights" and "lowered tar and nicotine" descriptors on packages. The United States Supreme Court's decision in Good abrogated Brown and held that neither FTC's various decisions with respect to statements of tar and nicotine nor the FTC's inaction regarding "light" descriptors justifies preemption of state deceptive practices rules. The Court will deny Philip Morris' Motion for Reconsideration.

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Students march for smoking rights  

About a dozen students marched into President David Schmidly’s office on Thursday to deliver a petition calling for an exception to the smoking ban.

The petition, which had 415 signatures, requests a lift of the smoking ban outside the dormitory areas for the next two years.

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Smoking area signs are work of vandal  

More than 60 smoking areas have already been removed from UNM’s campus — or, at least, 60 stenciled signs for a “UNM Designated Smoking Area.”

Pug Burge, head of UNM’s Smoke-Free Environment Committee, said the red spray-painted signs appeared around campus after the Aug. 1 implementation of the tobacco-free policy.

Burge said the signs are not committee-approved, and UNM Physical Plant employees are removing them.

Burge said she doesn’t know who’s behind the stenciled signs.

“It’s really disappointing, though, that people don’t have a little bit more pride in their campus,” she said.

Win Hansen, co-chair of the UNM chapter of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, said the social satire of the stencils serves a purpose.

“As far as the person spray-painting ‘UNM Designated Areas,’ I approve of that,” he said. “That’s what art should be. Art should be cultural commentary and societal commentary. Yes, I understand it’s graffiti, but a lot of art is considered bad when it’s made. It still has a reason for being made.”

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LETTER: New campus policy does not consider smokers' rights, needs  

I really think that smokers deserve to have a little more respect than the areas designated for them display. I feel bad when I see most of the areas do not have any shade and some of them have no seating. Now smokers have to be crowded into designated areas on the UNM campus. It has kind of a negative feel, right? You can smell the smoke way more and the areas usually have overflowing trash cans and butts on the ground. I mean, really? I do not think this is going to set up a positive result. What we should have done is talk a little more about the process of the non-smoking policy before hand, and we should have included people who smoke in the process.

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LETTER: Rollout of new tobacco-free policy unfair to UNM smokers  

If the administration wants us to comply with their policies, then they should be willing to comply with them as well. It’s difficult to believe that this policy isn’t discriminatory toward smokers when marking the designated areas and educating students about the policy hasn’t been a priority, especially when “disciplinary action” can be taken on those who don’t comply due to a lack of information.

The transition to a tobacco-free campus would go much more smoothly if the administration worked with tobacco users instead of intentionally making smoking inconvenient.

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Smokers, Retailers Brace For New Tobacco Rules  

"A lot of the issues with the new packaging are affecting us," said Denise Balko, with Tobacco Road.

New packaging, new rules and new federal government authority are hitting cigarettes. Packs will no longer have terms such as mild, light and low and those are just some of the changes.

"I don't think you can legislate behavior and it's not something the government should be involved in," said tobacco customer Bob Martinez.

The tobacco industry must also stop giving free samples and giving free clothing with cigarette company logos on it. Customers and workers alike said they are weary about what it will do to an industry where they say an uphill battle is already being fought.

And these new regulations come just a few months after the prices of cigarettes went up 150 percent all over the country.

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BERTHOLD: Smoking ban? Just ignore it  

Ignore the whole thing, just as the teenagers ignore the skateboarding rules and administration ignores the University's ethical guidelines. Launch a smoke-in. I will appear on campus in my Homeland Security uniform to hassle anyone hassling smokers.

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University sets tobacco-free date 

UNM will go tobacco-free on Aug. 1.

That means no cigarettes and no chewing tobacco, except within designated smoking areas around campus, said Pug Burge, co-chairwoman of the Smoke Free Environment Committee.

The committee has presented its revised campus smoking policy to campus groups, including GPSA and ASUNM, Burge said.

After the campus groups review the policy changes, the paperwork will go out to the rest of the University for a 30-day review period, which will begin sometime in the middle of this month, she said.

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LETTER: Smoking ban 

I want to respond to the article by Walt Rubel about proposed bill SB-44 that prohibits smoking in cars where minors are present. This bill is intended to protect the 35 to 45 percent of children who are exposed to secondhand smoke in homes and vehicles regularly (Harvard School of Public Health). . . .

Mr. Rubel argues that this bill is unfair to smokers who smoke with the windows down. In a study done by Dr. Neil Klepeis of Stanford University, within 20 seconds of a smoker lighting a cigarette in a car the levels of fine particulate matter can exceed the hazardous level set by the Environmental Protection Agency whether the windows are up or down.

Arkansas, Louisiana, and California have already passed similar laws. In California this particular law has been shown to make exposing children to secondhand smoke less socially accepted and has led to more smokers not allowing smoking in their homes and areas where their children will be exposed.

Hopefully this bill will get passed in New Mexico and people will really see the dangers that second hand smoking is causing innocent children.

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Cost of lighting up is going up: Cigarette tax hike takes effect soon 

LAS CRUCES -- Smokers and chewers could discover on April 1 that the health of their pocketbooks may be at risk with the increase of federal taxes on their favorite tobacco products. The recent expansion of a federal children's health program could insure as many as 11 million youngsters, but the almost $33 billion piece of legislation will have tobacco consumers footing the bill.

On April 1, a 61-cents-per-pack increase will be added to cigarettes, bringing the total federal tax to about $1, from 39 cents. Consumers also will see tax increases on other tobacco products, including a jump of more than 30 percent for large cigars, an increase of about 7 cents for moist snuff and a spike of nearly $1.50 on roll-your-own tobacco.

Although New Mexico now imposes a tax of about 91 cents per pack of cigarettes, recently-introduced legislation aimed to further increase the state tax. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Roberto Gonzales, D-Taos, was tabled in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee and never voted on.

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ATENCIO: State Senate bill to prevent lighting-up near children is a smoking idea  

I want to talk about proposed Bill SB-44 , , ,

Smokers argue that this bill is unfair to smokers who smoke with the windows down. In a study done by Dr. Neil Klepeis of Stanford University, within 20 seconds of a smoker lighting a cigarette in a car, the levels of fine particulate matter can exceed the hazardous level set by the Environmental Protection Agency whether the windows are up or down. Arkansas, Louisiana and California have already passed similar laws.

In California this particular law has been shown to make exposing children to secondhand smoke less socially accepted and has led to more smokers not allowing smoking in their homes and areas where their children will be exposed.

Hopefully, this bill will get passed in New Mexico and people will really see the dangers that secondhand smoking is causing innocent children.

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