Did You Know, Colorado? August 13, 2014

·         Tobacco use is a leading preventable cause of death, disease, and disability. The number of adult smokers in the US has been steadily declining; however, smoking prevalence remains high among many minority populations as well as those with lower income and education levels.   

·         2012 data on smoking prevalence in Colorado suggests that the Anglo population is the only group to show significant declines in tobacco use over the last 11 years.¹

·         Colorado adults with low SES are almost three times (27.1%) more likely to smoke than the rest of the population (9.4%). Additionally, although smoking prevalence has declined to 12.3% among students aged 18-24, prevalence among non-students remains high (31.9%).¹

·         Policy interventions including increasing the unit price of tobacco products and the number of areas designated as smoke-free have proven effective in reducing smoking prevalence. Mass-reach health communication interventions have also been shown to positively impact individuals’ decisions to quit smoking among vulnerable populations, including minorities and people with low income and education levels.

Information on Amendment 35 grant funding opportunities, including the Tobacco Education, Prevention and Cessation Grant Program, can be found on CDPHE’s website; the deadline for applications is September 30, 2014.

¹ Data source: Colorado’s 2012 The Attitudes and Behaviors Survey (TABS) on Health.