HOOKAH-THE LATEST DEADLY TOBACCO TREND
Waterpipes' Pose Health Risks, Says New American Lung Association Report
Click here to read the full report
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death worldwide.
Did You Know?
- On average, men who smoke cut their lives short by 13.2 years and female smokers lose 14.5 years.
- The best way to stop smoking is never to start. Nearly every adult who smokes (almost 90 percent) took his or her first puff at or before the age of 18.
- Before funding was drastically cut by the legislature in 2003, the Florida Youth Tobacco Control program was seen as a national model, reducing smoking rates by 58 percent among middle school children and 37 percent among high school students.
After helping to capture the necessary number of signatures to get an amendment on the ballot, the American Lung Association of Florida began the campaign to encourage voters to say “Yes on 4.” The proposed constitutional amendment, Amendment 4, required the Florida Legislature to annually fund a comprehensive, statewide tobacco education and prevention program according to the Centers for Disease Control’s best practices to target youth and other at-risk Floridians. Funding would be provided from the more than $380 million Florida receives each year from a 1997 tobacco settlement.
On November 7, 2006 the people of Florida overwhelming declared their dedication to restoring strong anti-tobacco education programs and to keeping youth smokefree by passing Amendment 4 and making it part of the state Constitution. Almost 61 percent of voters agreed it was a priority to protect people, especially youth, from addiction, disease, and other health hazards of using tobacco. The next step is for the Florida Legislature to implement Amendment 4. For more details on the American Lung Association of Florida’s legislative advocacy or to help, log on to www.lungfla.org.
Failing nearly every category in the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2006 report sent a message to Florida state legislators and the Governor’s office about how little progress has been made to truly address the tobacco epidemic and save lives in our state. To make a significant impact on the health problems and economic loss caused by tobacco, we need to fund programs that prevent youth from smoking, help smokers quit, protect Florida’s strong clean indoor air laws, increase cigarette excise taxes, and restrict youth access to tobacco.
Click here to access the full State of Tobacco 2006 Report and Florida’s specific findings.
Help us fight Big Toabcco! Tell our Legislature and Governor to spend more money keeping Florida’s youth tobacco-free!
Click here for more information on how you can help with the American Lung Association's Tobacco Control efforts.