Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 49th annual Great American Smokeout by calling on elected officials across the state to do more to reduce tobacco use. The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who smoke or use any form of tobacco, including e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches, to create a plan to quit.
Utah currently has one of the lowest cigarette smoking rates in the country, but tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of disease and death. Smoking is linked to at least 12 types of cancers, including lung, liver and colorectal cancers. Each year, more than 1,300 people die from a smoking-related disease in Utah alone. Although these hazards are well established, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show 6% of adults in Utah smoke cigarettes. These products are highly addictive, and it can be difficult for people to quit using tobacco once they have started.
“The Great American Smokeout is not just an opportunity for people who use tobacco to set a plan to quit. It’s also a clear wake up call for lawmakers to say it’s time for Utah to stand up to Big Tobacco,” said Brook Carlisle, Utah Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “While Utah has one of the lowest cigarette smoking rates in the country, more progress can be made. The fact is the tobacco industry continues to try to addict people to deadly, cancer-causing products. It’s time to say, enough is enough.’ Utahns deserve better.”
Research shows that strong tobacco control policies, like raising taxes on tobacco products are effective in helping people quit. Fewer people using tobacco products means less suffering and death from tobacco-related diseases like cancer.
“To mark the Great American Smokeout, ACS CAN is urging state lawmakers to support policies proven to prevent individuals from starting to use tobacco and to help current users quit. This includes adequately funding the state tobacco prevention and control program and supporting legislation to raise the tax on cigarettes by at least $1.00 per pack and tax all other tobacco products as a percent of their manufacturer’s price. Increasing tobacco taxes is one of the most effective ways to support cessation and reduce tobacco use – and tobacco companies
know it,” said Carlisle. “Currently, Utah has a $1.70 per pack tax on cigarettes, one of the lowest in the entire country. Increasing cigarette taxes by at least $1.00 per pack, along with a parallel tax on all other tobacco products, would reduce youth smoking by 14%, help 6,100 people who smoke quit, and save 2,200 lives while generating revenue for the state.”
Tobacco use is also one of the primary drivers of cancer-related health disparities. Tobacco companies have specifically targeted communities of color, people with limited incomes, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people and youth, causing disproportionate tobacco use among these populations. Reducing the cancer burden for everyone relies heavily on eliminating tobacco use.
Free resources on quitting tobacco can be found through the American Cancer Society’s cessation program, Empowered to Quit or by calling the Utah Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.