MEDIA RELEASE

The Surgeon General of the United States has declared smoking among the nation’s youth has reached an epidemic.

Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, M.D. released the first report in 18 years on youth and tobacco, which shows 3,800 young people start smoking every day and 9 of 10 adult smokers started before they were 18 years old.

Strong smoke-free air laws, tobacco excise taxes and fully funded tobacco prevention programs are what works to prevent youth smoking, according to the Surgeon General’s Report.

“Up until now, Hawaii has been one of the leading states in tobacco prevention and control. But we are now very concerned that there will be a steep fall with the complete curtailment of the annual funding for the tobacco prevention programs for the next two years,” said Deborah Zysman, Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii executive director.

Last year, as part of budget cuts passed by the Hawaii State Legislature, tobacco prevention funding was cut entirely for 2012 and 2013.

Major partners agree restoring funds to the tobacco trust fund is key to continuing our efforts. Partners of the Coalition include: American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and REAL: Hawaii Youth Movement Exposing the Tobacco Industry.

Hawaii collected $187 million in tobacco taxes last year. None has been invested in prevention.

“When states cut tobacco prevention money, smoking rates go right back up. The tobacco industry is spending $42 million each year in Hawaii. Without campaigns to counter this marketing, especially to youth, we will slide backwards. And this will cost our island state lives and billions of dollars in healthcare expenses,” Zysman said.

According to the report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults, more than 600,000 middle school students and three million high school students smoke cigarettes.

Due in great part to the various tobacco prevention programs over the past 10 years Hawaii high school smoking rates have declined from 24.5 percent in 2000 to 11.3 percent in 2009. Hawaii’s illegal tobacco sales to minors are below the national average at 6.1 percent. The national rate is 9.3 percent.

The report finds that tobacco marketing is a key factor in young people starting tobacco use. Nicotine addiction keeps them using. More than $27 million a day is spent on marketing tobacco products in the U.S., and 99 percent of all new smokers come from youth and young adult populations who are enticed to smoke by this marketing.

Underage youth are clearly influenced by tobacco marketing. The more young people are exposed to tobacco advertising and promotion, the more likely they are to smoke. Young girls are particularly drawn to tobacco messages that carry the myth that smoking makes you thin.

Ninety-nine percent of all first-time tobacco use occurs by age 26 and many of the long-term diseases associated with smoking, such as lung cancer, are more likely among those who begin to smoke earlier in life.