(SitNews) - Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in Alaska. During each year, smoking alone is linked to an estimated 700 deaths and $575 million in health care costs in Alaska. About 2 out of 3 smokers want to quit but struggle to break the addiction.

2022 Alaska Tobacco Facts report (91 pages PDF)

Alaska’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program in the Alaska Department of Health has published its 2022 Alaska Tobacco Facts report. This 91 page report is an annual update of key trends about tobacco prevention and control from state data sources. The report summarizes Alaska’s most current data on tobacco and nicotine use among adults, youth and pregnant women. The results help raise awareness about the toll tobacco continues to take on the health and well-being of Alaskans.

• Smoking among high school students has declined from 37% in 1995 to 8% in 2019.
  
  
• In 2019, significantly more high school students were currently using e-cigarettes than smoking cigarettes. In Alaska, 26% (about 1 out of 4) of high school students said they currently used e-cigarettes.
  
  
• In 2019, 46% (about 1 in 2) of Alaska high school students reported having tried using an electronic vapor product at least once. This was a significant increase from 36% in 2015.
  
  
• Over half (57%) of Alaska adults who smoked in 2020 tried to quit. 8% of all Alaska adults who smoked in 2020 successfully quit for 3 or more months.
  
  
• In 2020, 7% of Alaska adults currently used smokeless tobacco, which is higher than the comparable U.S. national estimate (2%).
  
  
• In 2020, 19% (almost 1 in 5) of Alaska adults smoked cigarettes. The percentage of Alaska adults who smoked has declined significantly over the past two decades, from 27% in 1997.
  
  
• In 2020, significantly more Alaska Native adults smoked cigarettes (35% or about 1 in 3) compared to non-Native adults (16% or about 1 in 6). The percentage of Alaska Native adults who smoked has decreased since 1996, but tobacco-related health inequities remain.
  
  
  
  

On the Web:

2022 Alaska Tobacco Facts report (91 pages PDF)

Edited By: Mary Kauffman, SitNews



Source of News:

Alaska Dept of Health
www. health.alaska.gov

 

 

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