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Fewer Smokers in Colorado
December 28, 2006, DENVER – In recent years, Colorado
has seen a significant decline in the number of women who
smoke, but the male smoking rate has remained unchanged.
According to a recently completed study, smoking among women
fell from 19.1 percent in 2001 to 15.3 percent in 2005,
which is 40,000 fewer female smokers in Colorado. Among men,
the smoking rate in 2005 was 19.6 percent, which was not
statistically different from the 2001 rate of 20.4 percent.
The University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences
Center conducted this telephone-based study, the Colorado
Tobacco Attitudes and Behaviors Survey, of 12,257 randomly
selected Colorado adults.
The substantial decline in the number of female smokers
lowered Colorado's overall adult smoking rate to 17.3
percent in 2005, from 20 percent in 2001.
“This overall decline in smoking is very significant news
for Colorado, for obvious health and economic reasons,” said
Karen DeLeeuw, director of the State Tobacco Education and
Prevention Partnership. The agency, within the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment, funded the
study. “By quitting smoking, people experience tremendous
health benefits, such as fewer illnesses and a longer life
expectancy. In addition, the large economic toll of
smoking-related illnesses on the health care system
decreases, saving taxpayer money.”
The study also found that in 2005, 62.4 percent of Colorado
adults had never smoked, compared to 56 percent in 2001.
Of the current smokers, two thirds (65.7 percent) tried to
quit in 2005, slightly more than the number who tried to
quit in 2001, 61.4 percent.
“Many smokers are trying to quit, and the state offers a
number of free services to help them,” said Deleeuw. “If
smokers try to quit cold turkey, they have only a 3 percent
chance of success. But by utilizing the Colorado QuitLine, a
free telephone service that offers eight free weeks of the
patch and personalized ‘quit plans’ supported and guided by
trained coaches, success rates increase to more than 40
percent. With the New Year right around the corner, the
coaches at the QuitLine are standing by to talk with smokers
who are ready to quit.”
The Colorado Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, (784-8669), is
operated by National Jewish Medical and Research Center
under contract to the State Tobacco Education and Prevention
Partnership. It is a free, telephone coaching service
available to both English- and Spanish-speaking Colorado
residents. The Quitline coaches are available Mondays
through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fridays, 7 a.m. to 7
p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The
service also is available for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
at TTY 800-659-2656.
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