NCI Report Release Highlights Tobacco Prevention Crisis in Ohio

August 21, 2008  

Without Ohio’s Effective Anti-tobacco Media Campaign, the Effective Marketing by the Industry Will Lead to More Smokers

August 21, 2008, Columbus -The National Cancer Institute’s report, “The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use,” released today highlights why Ohio is poised to see a significant increase in the number of youth smokers. The report discussed one factor that would increase youth smoking in Ohio: the heavy marketing of tobacco products by the tobacco industry. It also explained that mass media campaigns, especially when combined with community-based programs, to discourage tobacco use were successful in reducing smoking in youth and adults; unfortunately, Ohio’s anti-tobacco mass media campaign and community programs were discontinued as of June 30, 2008.

“This report shows that the tobacco industry is not asleep on the job. Unfortunately, our state is,” said Shelly Kiser, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association© of Ohio and co-chair of the Investing in Tobacco-Free Youth Coalition. “We have the science. We know that tobacco industry advertising works on our young people, but if we adequately fund marketing we can counteract its influence. We need to move forward, not backward to turn around the health of our young people.”

The report presents definitive conclusions that a) tobacco advertising and promotion are causally related to increased tobacco use, and b) exposure to depictions of smoking in movies is causally related to youth smoking initiation. Mass media campaigns are a proven method for preventing kids from smoking and encouraging smokers to quit, according to the report, and are especially effective when combined with community-based programs and when part of a comprehensive approach to reducing tobacco use including higher tobacco taxes and smoke-free laws.

The report found that tobacco is one of the most heavily-marketed products in the United States, and that the industry shifts its marketing focus to adapt to regulations, target audiences, new media, and new products. Unfortunately, studies show that advertising influences youth to start smoking and become regular smokers and increases tobacco use in general. In Ohio, the tobacco industry spends roughly $724 million a year marketing its products to Ohioans.

This report also highlights that “anti-tobacco mass media campaigns conducted in conjunction with school- or community-based programming can be effective in curbing smoking initiation in youth and promoting smoking cessation in adults,” something that had been working in Ohio. For a number of years, the state of Ohio ran the stand counter marketing campaign which integrated communications and grassroots programming including television, outdoor, radio, print and non-traditional advertising, and an interactive Web site to reach out to Ohio’s youth ages 12 to 17 empowering them to take their own stand against tobacco. This campaign was complimented by a comprehensive statewide tobacco prevention and control program which included in-school prevention programming and community coalitions. During the time that the campaign ran, youth smoking in Ohio dropped by about 40%.

Unfortunately, because of funding cuts, the stand campaign, the in-school prevention programs, and community coalitions were discontinued as of June 30, 2008.

“It’s essential that we restore these scientifically-proven programs,” said Kiser. “We call on our lawmakers to pass legislation to restore these programs and give our kids a second chance.”

The decision should be an easy one for Ohio’s leaders:

  • The problem is huge and warrants urgent action. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in Ohio resulting in 18,600 premature deaths and costing Ohio over $4 billion in health care bills each year.
  • States have the revenue. Ohio will collect over $1 billion this year in revenue from tobacco taxes.
  • The public supports it. Poll after poll shows that Americans strongly believe tobacco settlement and tax dollars should be spent on tobacco prevention.

A current piece of legislation – House Bill 572 – could restore funding for these programs and reduce use of a growing segment of tobacco products-non-cigarette forms of tobacco. Introduced by Representative Tyrone Yates (D-Cincinnati) with support from the Investing in Tobacco-Free Youth Coalition, this bill would correct the inequity between the tax on other tobacco products, such as cigars, little cigars and spit/chew tobacco, and the cigarette tax. The use of these products is growing, especially among youth, Appalachian Ohioans, and African Americans. The funds generated, an estimated $50 million a year, would be dedicated to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.

The Investing in Tobacco-Free Youth Coalition is urging Ohioans to get involved and ask the Governor and their legislators to support House Bill 572. For more information on the campaign, contact Shelly Kiser at 800-231-5864 or Cresha Auck-Foley at 614-396-4357.

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