Tobacco Free Amarillo

CONTACT: Mary Coyne, 374-5333

Release:
TfreeAmarillo.com July 29, 2002

Tobacco Free Amarillo Releases New Data on Youth Tobacco Use

(AMARILLO, TX) Promising trends regarding youth smoking rates in Amarillo were revealed today by researchers for Tobacco Free Amarillo. The comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program is funded by the Amarillo Hospital District from tobacco settlement funds.

In a study conducted in October 2001, 48 percent of high school students in Amarillo, River Road, Bushland and Highland Park reported having smoked in the last 30 days. A followup study conducted in May indicated a decrease to 38%.

Among middle school students, the October smoking rate was 22%, and the May followup indicated 11.5%.

The initial survey in October 2001 consisted of all middle school and high school students in the Amarillo, River Road, Highland Park and Bushland school districts. A total of 9,054 surveys were analyzed from the initial study. The followup survey took place in May. A random sample of the classes participating in the initial survey was given the same survey. A total of 1,744 surveys were analyzed from the followup research.

Other survey highlights include:

• The percentage of students who say they "will try smoking soon" decreased from 10.3% to 8.9% among high school students and from 8.3% to 5% among middle school students.
• The percentage of students who say they "will try smoking within the next year" decreased among high school students from 38% to 17%.

Tobacco Free Amarillo had a law enforcement component designed to discourage tobacco use by increasing the number of tickets given to students for using tobacco. In the followup survey, youth reported knowing more people who received tickets and more students reported having received a ticket.

• Students who know someone who received a ticket for tobacco use increased from 42% to 47% among high school students and from 19% to 21% among middle school students.
• Students who actually received a ticket for tobacco use increased from 8% to 14% among high school students and from 5% to 8% among middle school students.

Tobacco Free Amarillo targeted a media campaign at the young tobacco user. High school youth who reported seeing "a lot of TV ads" about not smoking increased from 28% to 39%.

The program targeted youth with a school-based component designed to increase the use of tobacco prevention curriculum in the schools. On the survey, students were asked questions regarding what and how much they had been taught in the classroom about tobacco.

There was no change in the precentage of students reporting they were taught about tobacco in the classroom. However, because of funding and time constraints, program staff decided early in the program to target the first year for teacher training and for curriculum aimed at sixth graders.

When sixth graders were examined separately, there was an increase from 32% to 57% in students who reported being taught about the dangers of tobacco use.

The evaluation component, which was responsible for conducting the youth surveys is headed by Rebecca Robinson, Ph.D., of the West Texas A&M University School of Nursing.

"Cigarettes are the only product that when used as intended kills the consumer," said Dr. Robinson. "About 440,000 Americans die each year from tobacco use and 90% of them started smoking before the age of 18."

The Tobacco Free Amarillo project includes six components: a community program, school program, media, cessation activities, law enforcement and evaluation.

• The community component has a speakers bureau with several speakers ready to talk on a variety of tobacco-related topics. Contact Tobacco Free Amarillo, 353-7435, for information or to schedule a speaker. Also, the community program is working with restaurants and work sites to help them become smoke free.
• The school component has trained many teachers in the four school districts within the Amarillo Hospital District to provide tobacco prevention and cessation education for students.
• The law enforcement component has had off-duty officers giving tickets to minors using tobacco products. These youth are directed to a cessation program at Amarillo College. Officers have also monitored retail establishments to determine whether they are selling tobacco to minors.
• The media component is conducting a mass media campaign through television, radio and billboards to change attitudes and behaviors related to smoking.
• The cessation component provides training to health care professionals to help them learn how to counsel patients who use tobacco. A support group for people who are trying to quit has also been established. FreshStart classes are conducted in the community and at work sites to help smokers quit; counseling is provided to hospitalized patients who would like to quit using tobacco. Contact the Harrington Cancer Center for more information on these programs.
• The evaluation component is following up its October 2001 adult survey now. The adults who identified themselves as smokers in the October 2001 adult study will be followed up with a call to determine changes in attitudes and behaviors.

Tobacco Free Amarillo is a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program funded by the Amarillo Hospital District from tobacco settlement money (the first hospital district in Texas to do so). Activities involving the community, schools, media, cessation, law enforcement and evaluation are carried out by about 30 partner organizations. For more information, visit the Tobacco Free Amarillo Web site at TFreeAmarillo.com or call the Tobacco Free Amarillo office at (806) 353-7435.

Tobacco Free Amarillo Partners

In addition to the City of Amarillo and the Amarillo Hospital District, partners for this community-wide coalition include The American Cancer Society as fiscal agent, Amarillo Area Foundation, Amarillo College, Amarillo Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Amarillo Independent School District, Amarillo Police Department, Bushland Independent School District, CableRep Advertising, Clear Channel Communications, Cumulus Broadcasting Inc., Harrington Cancer Center, Highland Park Independent School District, Holy Cross Catholic Academy, KFDA/Telemundo, KGNC Radio, KVII/The WB, Lamar Advertising Co., McCormick Company, NBC4/Fox14/UPN65, Planned Parenthood, Potter County Sheriff's Department, Randall County Sheriff's Department, Region 16 Education Service Center, River Road Independent School District, Rodriguez Communications, Texas Tech School of Pharmacy, Wesley Community Center and West Texas A&M University.

###