Learning Objectives: Describe how current smoking prevalence, self-reported cigagette consumption, and per capita sales can be used to monitor progress in state tobacco control programs
Abstract: In the 1990s, investments in tobacco control in Wisconsin were made on several fronts, including $1 million/year (1991-1998) from Project ASSIST funds. Surveillance data reveal however, that smoking prevalence has not appreciably declined in Wisconsin in 15 years. This study assesses whether self-reported cigarette consumption and per capita sales better measure progress in reducing tobacco use over the past decade than smoking prevalence.
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data were analyzed from 1984 to 2000. Cigarette smoking prevalence data were obtained from questions measuring lifetime and current cigarette use. Cigarette consumption was calculated from a question asking smokers how many cigarettes on average they smoke a day. Changes in per capita sales were calculated from 1985 to 2000 cigarette sales data from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
Cigarette smoking prevalence has remained at about 24% in Wisconsin for the past 15 years. Self-reported cigarette consumption however, decreased 22% from an average of 19.0 (±1.7) cigarettes per day in 1984 to 14.8 (±0.86) in 2000. Per capita cigarette sales data also decreased 25% during this time.
Although overall cigarette smoking prevalence has not changed in the past 15 years, current smokers in Wisconsin are smoking significantly fewer cigarettes in 2000 than in 1984. These declines may be the result of progress made by tobacco control efforts in Wisconsin during the 1990s, such as clean indoor air policies. Cigarette sales and consumption data may help determine if newly funded tobacco control efforts are reducing the harm from cigarette use.
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