Has Arizona’s tobacco control program been effective?
Yes. Smoking rates in Arizona decreased significantly between 1996 and 1999. The overall smoking rate in Arizona dropped from 23.1% to 18.3%, according to figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Arizona currently has one of the lowest smoking rates in the United States. According to a May 24, 2001 press release from the Arizona Department of Health Services, “The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] report concludes that adequately funded programs like Arizona’s that incorporate components of CDC’s Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs ‘not only can reduce the rate of smoking but also can reduce health disparities in cigarette use and increase the number of health professionals who advise their patients to stop smoking—in as little as three years time.’ The CDC report noted that after Arizona instituted its anti-tobacco program, smoking prevalence declined for women, men, whites and Hispanics.
