Jump to full article: AZ Central - Arizona Republic, 2009-06-06
Author: Colby J. Bower
Intro: Suddenly in Arizona, quitting the deadly addiction of smoking is the thing to do. As we heard last week, Arizona had the largest drop in the country in smoking prevalence - more than 20 percent - putting us seventh in the nation.
We can all breathe a little easier now; or can we?
The bulk of the credit goes to the voters of Arizona. In 2006, voters set the stage to push Arizona forward by passing the Smoke-Free Arizona initiative and voting to increase taxes on tobacco. And now in only a few years, we are seeing dramatic results.
Despite this tremendous progress, tobacco remains the No. 1 cause of preventable death in Arizona and causes a whole range of health issues. From cancer to heart attack and stroke, lung disease and premature aging, tobacco still has an impact on our everyday lives.
And, for the budget-minded, tobacco creates unneeded stress on our health-care systems, driving up costs for everyone. . . .
As shocking as it may sound, Arizona was one of the last states to offer a smoking-cessation benefit to those on state Medicaid. Now, members of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System can get real help when trying to quit tobacco. . . .
The culture shift that has occurred among the larger population groups in Arizona still lags among many minority groups. The state has taken tremendous leaps toward engaging communities and local organizations during the past year, but more work is ahead. These initiatives are geared to attack the problem within the community, at the most basic level; and over time, these initiatives will help to close this disparity gap.
The "Venomocity.com" ad campaign geared toward teens is cutting edge for youth prevention; new efforts are in place to engage long-term smokers at the local level; and a host of small policy changes are all taking effect. And, on Tuesday, Arizona will host the National Conference on Tobacco or Health, the nation's largest tobacco-policy conference.
What does this all mean? Simply put, Arizona once again is stepping out as a national leader in tobacco control, and we need to keep leading the way.
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