Tobacco use among middle and high school students--Florida, 1998 and 1999

Abstract

Tobacco use is the single leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and an estimated $2 billion is spent annually in Florida to treat disease caused by smoking. Florida appropriated $23 million in fiscal year 1997 and $70 million in fiscal year 1998 to fund the Florida Pilot Program on Tobacco Control to prevent and reduce tobacco use among Florida youth. To determine the prevalence of cigarette, cigar, and smokeless tobacco (i.e., chewing tobacco and snuff) use among Florida middle and high school students in public schools, the Florida Department of Health conducted the Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (FYTS) in February 1998 and February 1999. The purpose of these surveys was to establish baseline parameters and monitor the progress of the pilot program, which began in April 1998. This report summarizes advance data from the surveys, which indicate that, from 1998 to 1999, the percentage of Florida public middle and high school students who smoked cigarettes decreased significantly and that the percentage of middle school students who smoked cigars and used smokeless tobacco products decreased significantly.