|
 |
 |
|
Smoking study sparks call for continued tough regulation
Anti-smoking advocates jumped on a new study of adult smokers Tuesday to urge Congress and regulators to keep up the pressure on cigarette makers.
The new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the adult smoking rate decreased by 1.6 percentage points — from 20.9 percent to 19.3 percent of the adult population — or about three million people from 2005 to 2010. The study also found an increase in the number of smokers who light up fewer than 10 times a day (16.4 percent to 21.8 percent) and a decrease in those who smoke 30 or more cigarettes a day (12.7 percent to 8.3 percent).
"Enhanced efforts are needed to accelerate the decline in cigarette smoking among adults," the report concluded. "Population-based prevention strategies, such as tobacco taxes, media campaigns, and smoke-free policies, in concert with clinical cessation interventions, can help decrease cigarette smoking and reduce the health burden and economic impact of tobacco-related diseases in the United States."
"These findings add urgency to the continued need for strong tobacco control laws nationwide, including tobacco tax increases, strong smoke-free laws, fully funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs, and policies that are proven to reduce adult smoking rates and discourage kids from ever starting to use tobacco," CEO John Seffrin said in a statement. "The study is also proof of the need for strong implementation of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, the law granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products."
That law calls for larger, graphic warning labels on cigarette packs starting in September 2012. The American Heart Association urged lawmakers and regulators to adopt "bold policies" to continue the downward trend, even as five cigarette makers are challenging the warning labels in court.
