Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Governor Culver Announces Smoking In Iowa Drops 22 Percent
Quitline doubles free nicotine patches and gum until Jan. 31 to help more Iowans quit
DES MOINES – Iowa is leading the way in smoking cessation, Governor Culver announced today, with a new report showing that smoking in Iowa has dropped 22 percent since 2006. The decrease is one of the most significant drops experienced by any state in recent years.
“As Governor, improving the health and well-being of Iowans is one of my top priorities,” said Governor Culver. “Iowans statewide have taken on the challenge to stop smoking, and we can all be proud of their efforts. Helping Iowa become the healthiest state in the nation is a goal we can all get behind.”
The news comes as many Iowans make New Year’s resolutions to quit using tobacco. “These survey results are very encouraging not only for individuals, but for our state as a whole,” said Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Tom Newton. Iowa currently spends an estimated $1 billion each year in smoking-related health care costs.
To help the thousands of Iowans who will try to quit smoking in January, IDPH is providing twice the amount of free nicotine patches and gum available through Quitline Iowa, the state’s helpline for quitting tobacco use. While budget constraints do not allow the initiative to continue throughout 2009, Iowans who call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) by Jan. 31 can get a four-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy gum and patches. After Jan. 31, two-week supplies will be available.
“Among current smokers, our survey tells us that as many as 84 percent want to quit smoking,” Newton said. “One of the most effective ways to help people end their addiction to tobacco is to provide counseling services and quit aids, such as nicotine patches and gum. This is the time of year Iowans need the most support and Quitline is here to help.”
According to preliminary data from the survey, approximately 79,000 fewer adults in Iowa smoke now than two years ago. Among former smokers, 57 percent cited health as their reason for quitting smoking. Among current smokers, 54 percent said they wanted to quit for health reasons, while 19 percent said their reason for quitting was that smoking was too expensive. Other reasons for quitting smoking include being influenced by family and friends.
For a fact sheet of preliminary survey results, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/tobacco and look under “Adult Tobacco Surveys.” The full report will be available at the same Web site by mid-February. For help quitting tobacco use, call Quitline Iowa at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit www.quitlineiowa.org.