Washington Smoking Rates Dropping Significantly

State Will Save Millions on Health Care Costs Due to Declining Smoking Rates

The state of Washington reports some promising findings Wednesday in a press release. A recent survey by the Washington State Department of Health shows that the number of smokers in the state is dropping. This department began a smoking prevention program in the year 2000. Since the inception of this Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, adult smoking has gone from 22.4 percent to 17 percent, an all-time low.

Nationally, the state of Washington has the fifth lowest smoking rate. What do these reduced smoking rates mean for the state of Washington? The press release reports that the overall drop in smoking since 2000 results in 235,000 fewer smokers in the state. And this means big savings, $2.1 billion is the estimated expected savings estimate for health care costs.

Interestingly, recent research by the Washington State Department of Health suggests that those who have less education and make less money relatively are less likely to quit smoking. Those making under $25,000 per year and those with a high school diploma or less as their highest educational credentials have not seen a significant drop in smoking rates since the programs beginning in 2000.

Washington Secretary of Health Mary Selecky said, "Tobacco prevention and control is a priority for our state, and overall it is paying off with fewer smokers. At the same time, I'm concerned about the higher smoking rates for some groups. We continue to look for new and creative ways to reach people with low income, lower levels of education, and others who are more likely to smoke."

The study found that smoking rates are at 30 percent among low income adults and 27 percent among people with less education. Also, smoking rates are significantly higher among African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, lesbians, gays, and bisexuals in the state of Washington.