Ending the Tobacco Problem

The nation has made tremendous progress in reducing tobacco use during the past 40 years. Despite extensive knowledge about successful interventions, however, approximately one-quarter of American adults still smoke. Tobacco-related illnesses and death place a huge burden on our society. Ending the Tobacco Problem generates a blueprint for the nation in the struggle to reduce tobacco use. The report reviews effective prevention and treatment interventions and considers a set of new tobacco control policies for adoption by federal and state governments. Carefully constructed with two distinct parts, the book first provides background information on the history and nature of tobacco use, developing the context for the policy blueprint proposed in the second half of the report. The report documents the extraordinary growth of tobacco use during the first half of the 20th century as well as its subsequent reversal in the mid-1960s (in the wake of findings from the Surgeon General). It also reviews the addictive properties of nicotine, delving into the factors that make it so difficult for people to quit and examines recent trends in tobacco use. In addition, an overview of the development of governmental and nongovernmental tobacco control efforts is provided. After reviewing the ethical grounding of tobacco control, the second half of the book sets forth to present a blueprint for ending the tobacco problem. The book offers broad-reaching recommendations targeting federal, state, local, nonprofit and for-profit entities. This book also identifies the benefits to society when fully implementing effective tobacco control interventions and policies. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary Introduction 1 Epidemiology of Tobacco Use: History and Current Trends 2 Factors Perpetuating the Tobacco Problem 3 Containing the Tobacco Problem 4 Reducing Tobacco Use: A Policy Framework 5 Strengthening Traditional Tobacco Control Measures 6 Changing the Regulatory Landscape 7 New Frontiers of Tobacco Control Index Appendix A: Comprehensive Smoking Cessation Policy for All Smokers: Systems Integration to Save Lives and Money Appendix B: Clean Air Laws Appendix C: Warning Labels and Packaging Appendix D: The Long-Term Promise of Effective School-Based Smoking Prevention Programs Appendix E: Adolescents' and Young Adults' Perceptions of Tobacco Use: A Review and Critique of the Current Literature Appendix F: Interventions for Children and Youth in the Health Care Setting Appendix G: Reducing and Preventing Tobacco Use Among Pregnant Women, Parents, and Families Appendix H:Smoking in the Movies: Its Impact on Youth and Youth Smoking Appendix I: State Statutes Governing Direct Shipment of Alcoholic Beverages to Consumers: Precedents for Regulating Tobacco Retail Shipments Appendix J: The Role of Public Policies in Reducing Smoking Prevalence: Results from the SimSmoke Tobacco Policy Simulation Model Appendix K: Commissioned Simulation Modeling of Smoking Prevalence as an Outcome of Selected Tobacco Control Measures Appendix L: Controlling the Retail Sales Environment: Access, Advertising, and Promotional Activities Appendix M: Sales and Marketing of Cigarettes on the Internet: Emerging Threats to Tobacco Control and Promising Policy Solutions Appendix N: Media Campaigns and Tobacco Control Appendix O: Advocacy as a Tobacco Control Strategy Appendix P: Special Populations with Higher Rates of Cigarette Smoking: Identification and Implications for Tobacco Control