Tobacco Use Reduction as a National and Regional PriorityTobacco Use Reduction as a

National and Regional Priority

Tobacco-free College Campuses: Promoting a Culture of Health

Patrick O’Carroll, MD, MPHAssistant Surgeon General and Regional Health Administrator

Region X , U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Tacoma, Washington, Dec 7, 2012

Public Health Approach

Problem Response

Surveillance:What is

the problem?

Risk FactorIdentification:

What is the cause?

Implementation:How do you

do it?

InterventionEvaluation:

What works?

ImpactEvaluation

What is the problem?• Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death

in the United States• Tobacco kills ~443,000 Americans each year—

about 1 of every five deaths• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death

among both men and women in U.S.• Late 1800’s: Lung cancer was rare

• Cigarette smoking causes $96B in medical costs and $97B in lost productivity each year

What is the problem?• Each day, over 3,800 young people under 18 years

of age smoke their first cigarette, and over 1,000 youth become daily smokers.

• The vast majority of Americans who begin daily smoking during adolescence are addicted to nicotine by young adulthood.

• Despite progress, nearly one in four U.S. high school seniors and one in three young adults under age 26 smoke.

What is the problem?• Nearly all tobacco use begins in childhood and

adolescence• 88% of adult cigarette smokers who smoke daily

started smoking by the age of 18• 99% of first use by 26 years of age!

Public Health Approach

Problem Response

Surveillance:What is

the problem?

Risk FactorIdentification:

What is the cause?

Implementation:How do you

do it?

InterventionEvaluation:

What works?

ImpactEvaluation

Public Health Approach

Problem Response

Surveillance:What is

the problem?

Risk FactorIdentification:

What is the cause?

Implementation:How do you

do it?

InterventionEvaluation:

What works?

ImpactEvaluation

What works?• Four foundational documents:

• Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs (2007)

• Guide to Community Preventive Services • Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update• Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008: The

MPOWER Package

• Tobacco control programs must be comprehensive sustained, and accountable

Public Health Approach

Problem Response

Surveillance:What is

the problem?

Risk FactorIdentification:

What is the cause?

Implementation:How do you

do it?

InterventionEvaluation:

What works?

ImpactEvaluation

How do you do it?• The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco

Control Act, giving the FDA authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products (2009)

• Ending the Tobacco Epidemic: A Tobacco Control Strategic Action Plan for the US Department of Health and Human Services (2010)

• Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General (2012)

Public Health Approach

Problem Response

Surveillance:What is

the problem?

Risk FactorIdentification:

What is the cause?

Implementation:How do you

do it?

InterventionEvaluation:

What works?

ImpactEvaluation

YOUTH and TOBACCO Town Hall Meeting

YOUTH and TOBACCO Town Hall Meeting

Region X , U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington)

University of Washington Seattle, Washington, June 14, 2012

A Challenge for Region X:

Tobacco-free College Campuses across the

Entire Pacific Northwest

A Challenge for Region X:

Tobacco-free College Campuses across the

Entire Pacific Northwest

Tobacco Use Reduction as a National and Regional PriorityTobacco Use Reduction as a

National and Regional Priority

Tobacco-free College Campuses: Promoting a Culture of Health

Patrick O’Carroll, MD, MPHAssistant Surgeon General and Regional Health Administrator

Region X , U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Tacoma, Washington, Dec 7, 2012