Oklahoma's smoking prevention program is 11th in the U.S.

Oklahoma’s smoking prevention program is 11th in U.S.

BY SUSAN SIMPSON
Published: December 10, 2009

Oklahoma ranks 11th among states in funding programs to prevent young people from taking up smoking and to help existing smokers quit, according to The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, a coalition of public health groups.

Oklahoma will spend $21.1 million this fiscal year on prevention and cessation efforts. That’s $2 million more than last fiscal year, when the group ranked Oklahoma 13th among states.

But the state still spends less than half the $45 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Only one state, North Dakota, spent the recommended amount.

“We’re well on our way to doing what’s needed, but we have a long way to go,” said Tracey Strader, executive director of the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund. “Certainly Oklahoma is making forward progress where a lot of other states are falling backwards.”

Still, the report criticizes Oklahoma for spending just 5.4 percent of money from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes on prevention programs. Strader says that’s because Oklahoma decided to invest settlement funds and spend only interest revenue.

“Oklahoma took a longer-term vision by creating an endowment and only using the earnings,” said Doug Matheny, chief of tobacco use prevention for the state Health Department.

He said Oklahoma is starting to see results from that investment. The adult smoking rate dropped from 28.7 percent in 2001 to 24.7 percent in 2008. During the same period, the proportion of former smokers in Oklahoma increased from 22.1 percent to 24.7 percent. That marked the first time Oklahoma had equal numbers of former and current smokers.

Matheny said the number of cigarettes sold each year dropped last year to a 40-year low of 287.5 million packs, sold by both tribal and nontribal entities. He attributes the drop to prevention and cessation efforts and public policy. More than 37,000 Oklahomans called the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline in fiscal year 2009.

The state has a goal of reducing tobacco use rates to below the national rate of 20 percent by 2012.

“Over 6,000 Oklahomans die each year because of tobacco use,” Matheny said. “It’s the No. 1 preventable cause of death.”

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Call the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline at (800) QUIT-NOW.

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The full report from The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids is available at tobaccofreekids.org.

Michigan becomes the next state to go smoke free!

The Michigan legislature passed a measure that prohibits smoking in bars, restaurants and workplaces. The American Heart Association, along with several other health organizations, plans to push a similar bill during the 2010 session.


Michigan lawmakers pass smoking ban that exempts 3 Detroit casinos, cigar bars, home offices
By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN
Associated Press Writer
(c) 2009. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Legislature passed a long-delayed smoking ban Thursday, with exceptions for three Detroit casinos that have to compete with tribal casinos not affected by the ban.

The Democrat-led House agreed Thursday afternoon to slight changes made by the Republican-led Senate earlier in the day. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who welcomed the bill's passage.

"It's a terrific gift to Michigan," she told reporters.

The ban will take effect in May 2010. It applies to all bars, restaurants and work places, except for the Detroit casinos, cigar bars, tobacco specialty stores, home offices and motor vehicles.

Although smoking will be allowed on casino gambling floors, it will be banned in the casinos' bars, restaurants and hotels.

The Senate approved a ban with no exceptions last year, but that bill failed in the House, which wanted the exceptions for the Detroit casinos. The House in May passed the bill adopted Thursday by the Senate.

With Granholm's signature, Michigan will become the 38th state to limit smoking in public places such as government buildings, bars and restaurants, according to Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, who has kept alive the push for a statewide smoking ban. He favors a total ban, but was satisfied with the progress so far.

"We've moved the ball down the court, and even scored a basket," he said of Thursday's vote. "We haven't scored a three-pointer."

Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, also wanted casinos included in the ban but was pleased with the Senate vote.

"It will be a great day in this state when we are totally, 100 percent smoke free ... (but) I'm very proud of what we've done today," he said.

Several senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said they objected to the ban because it intruded on decisions bar and restaurant owners should make based on their customers' desires.

"This is a blatant overreach by government," Bishop said.

The Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, which lobbied against the measure, predicted the smoking ban would cost the state thousands of jobs.

"It's our elected officials' responsibility in this economic climate to pass legislation that helps all Michigan businesses, not just a few select business groups," executive director Lance Binoniemi said in a statement.

Public health officials praised the measure. "The Legislature today has made a great stride forward toward building healthier communities for everyone in Michigan," said Dr. Greg Holzman, the chief medical executive for the Michigan Department of Community Health.
Among nearby states, only Indiana doesn't have some type of smoking ban in place. Michigan lawmakers have been trying for more than a decade to pass a ban.

Some residents remain opposed to it, including Don Doze, 54, who was eating Thursday in the smoking section of a Big Boy restaurant in Detroit.

"I want to enjoy my food or drink, and enjoy my cigarette," said Doze, a Detroit retiree who has smoked for decades. "I don't want to walk away from my table to go outside and smoke."
Heaven White, 35, of Detroit, who was sitting in the nonsmoking section of the same restaurant, said a ban on smoking in restaurants and the workplace is good. Still, she said smoking should be allowed in bars.

"Smoking goes with drinking," White said. "That's the place you go to be a bad girl, a bad boy."
Mike Nolan, owner of a tobacco shop in downtown Traverse City and president of the Michigan Cigar Association, described the bill as a "mixed blessing." He was pleased outlets such as his were exempt but said the measure treats smokers unfairly.

"It should be a matter of choice -- for the customer, for the bar and restaurant owner, for the employee working there," Nolan said.

Granholm said the lack of a smoking ban made Michigan look like a state that didn't care about health. That perception should change with a ban being put in place, she said.

After the Senate passed the ban 24-13 Thursday, the House passed it 75-30.
Republican Sen. Bill Hardiman of Kentwood didn't vote because he was absent. Only one Senate Democrat, Sen. Jim Barcia of Bay City, joined a dozen Senate Republicans in opposing the bill.
In the House, the bill was opposed by 23 Republicans and seven Democrats. Five representatives didn't vote. Rep. Ed Clemente, a Lincoln Park Democrat who was in the restaurant business, said he didn't vote because he had a conflict of interest.
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Associated Press reporters David Runk in Detroit, John Flesher in Traverse City and Tim Martin in Lansing contributed to this story.

The Word is Out....

Yesterday, I joined the Oklahoma State Department of Health in a press conference to discuss the Institute of Medicine report that was released last week that addresses the issue of passing comprehensive smoking laws and how they reduce the risk of heart attacks associated with secondhand smoke.

Below are links to the great media coverage we received in response. The word is out that we are going to be pushing this issue during the 2010 legislative session and we don't plan on backing down. 27 other states have passed comprehensive smoking policies, it's Oklahoma's turn.


Bill could strengthen Oklahoma's smoking ban: Channel 2 in Tulsa

Health officials will try again to ban smoking in bars and restaurants: Tulsa World

Officials To Seek Smoking Ban: Fox 23

Oklahoma activists target smoking loopholes: newsok.com

Oklahoma officials to seek smoking ban: newsok.com

Oklahoma Newspaper Takes Note of New Smoke-Free Law Study

It's great to see some press coverage of the new Institute of Medicine Report that came out last week. This report outlines evidence that smoke-free laws do, indeed, benefit the heart health of Americans, and further motivates the American Heart Association to continue pressing local officials to enact smoke-free policies.

Read it here.

Another Oklahoma Community has Banned Smoking in Public Parks

Norman plans to halt smoking in its city parks

Oklahoman
BY JANE GLENN CANNON
June 25, 2009

NORMAN — Smokers beware: Norman officials are kicking your butts out of their parks.

The city council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday to ban smoking and the use of tobacco products in public parks. The prohibition takes effect July 23.

Norman is the state’s third city to ban smoking in parks. Owasso and Noble have similar rules.

Councilman Doug Cubberley, an asthma sufferer, said he quit going to public events in parks several years ago because smoke would precipitate an asthma attack.

Parks Director Jud Foster said butts left on the ground in parks, besides being unsightly, pose a danger to small children who might put them in their mouths.

Asked whether Oklahoma City has considered a similar tobacco ban, parks department spokeswoman Jennifer Lindsey-McClintock said: "We have looked at it but no decision has been made. It’s not anything we are currently pursuing. It would be terribly difficult to enforce.”

Travis Humphrey, Cleveland County Tobacco-Free Coalition chairman, hailed Norman’s action, calling it "a big leap as a city. This is protecting future generations.”

The ordinance exempts parking lots and Westwood Golf Course. Assistant City Attorney Leah Bunny said officials thought smoke on a golf course was less likely to affect other people.

Resident Sylvia Martin said she opposed the ban not because she is a smoker, "but because there is too much government regulation as it is. At some point, people have to take responsibility for themselves.”

Smoke Free Oklahoma Lobby Day

Debbie Hite, Metro Heart Association Director, visits with volunteers during Smoke Free OK Lobby Day.

This past week the American Heart Association participated in Smoke Free Oklahoma Lobby Day. Along with the American Cancer Society and the Lung Association, volunteers lobbyed their state legisltors on behalf of legislation that would make all public places smoke free.

A recent poll, done by Wilson Strategies, was conducted on January 24-25, 2009 in Oklahoma. This poll shows:
*68% of voters believe the rights of customers and employees to breathe clean air is more important than the rights of smokers to smoke and owners to allow smoking.
*59% of Oklahomans SUPPORT a smoke-free environment for Oklahoma workers and families
*52% of voters say they are more likely to vote to re-elect their state legislator if that legislator supports a smoke-free law
*94% of Oklahomans believe secondhand smoke is a health hazard – 59% say it is a “serious” health hazard, 22% say it is a “moderate” health hazard
*Smoke-free laws will increase business - - 18% of those surveyed say they would go out MORE OFTEN if restaurants and bars were smoke-free

Do you have a personal story re: secondhand smoke? I would love to hear it!