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About Tobacco Goals

Because the Wyoming Tobacco Prevention & Control Program is organized around the goals set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each environmental strategy focused on tobacco indicates the corresponding tobacco goal in addition to identifying the causal domain.

As the lead federal agency assisting states to develop comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs, CDC has identified the following goals to guide tobacco prevention efforts:

  1. prevent initiation of tobacco use among youth and young adults
  2. eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke
  3. promote tobacco use cessation among adults and youth
  4. identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities.

Prevent initiation of tobacco use among youth and young adults

More than 80 percent of adult smokers begin smoking by 18 years of age with 99 percent of first use occurring by 26 years of age (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Preventing initiation of tobacco use could greatly reduce smoking and tobacco-related health consequences for youth. There are numerous environmental prevention strategies that focus on this tobacco goal. Checking ID for tobacco sales, compliance checks of tobacco retailers, and instituting policies concerning cigarette vending machines are a few examples.

Eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke is defined as the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers (CDC, 2011). According to the CDC, there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Numerous health effects are associated with exposure to secondhand smoke including severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer (CDC, 2011). Support clean indoor air laws, smoke-free college campus policies, and media advocacy are a few examples of environmental prevention strategies designed to eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.

Promote tobacco use cessation among adults and youth

Although there are numerous tobacco programs designed to help adults and youth quit smoking, this tool is focused solely on prevention strategies and therefore does not address programs aimed at promoting cessation.

Identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities

Tobacco-related disparities occur when the burden of tobacco-related illness is greater among a specific population group. Disparities lead to differences in patterns, prevention, and treatment of tobacco use and are often accompanied by higher rates of secondhand smoke exposure. This tool does not address specific populations or strategies to identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities.