Methods: As part of a local initiative funded by the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation, Cuyahoga County adults have been surveyed annually over the past four years (2003-2006) about their tobacco product use (cigarettes, cigars, pipe, chew, little cigars), cessation efforts, and opinions about secondhand smoke and public policies limiting tobacco exposure. The sample of 5,301 adults is weighted to represent the county population.

Results: Across nearly all tobacco-related questions, a positive trend has been observed over the four years. The most significant trend is the steady reduction in reported cigarette use from 26.7% in 2003 to 21.3% in 2006. Reported cessation attempts also continue to hover around the 50% of smokers, with increasingly more adults using multiple therapeutic approaches (gum, patches, counseling, Quit Line). The percentage of residents who reported that smoking is prohibited in their home increased from 57% to nearly 70% over the 4 year period. With regard to smoke-free policies, support for a ban in restaurants and bars increased dramatically over the four year period, reflective of the recent approval of a statewide tobacco ban. Interesting trends among smoking and non-smoking respondents.

Conclusions: Local tobacco surveillance has proven to be highly valuable to both public health officials and policy makers. While often viewed as an expensive tool of evaluation, the data provides invaluable evidence of impact from community-wide tobacco prevention and cessation efforts.