Has the California Tobacco Control Program Reduced Smoking?

• Published in: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association 1998-09, Vol.280 (10), p.893-899
• Main Authors: Pierce, John P, Gilpin, Elizabeth A, Emery, Sherry L, White, Martha M, Rosbrook, Brad, Berry, Charles C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: California - epidemiology; Humans; Prevalence; Program Evaluation; Public health; Regression Analysis; Smoking; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking cessation; Smoking Prevention; State Government; Tobacco Industry; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0098-7484; 1538-3598
• DOI: 10.1001/jama.280.10.893

CONTEXT.— Comprehensive community-wide tobacco control programs are considered appropriate public health approaches to reduce population smoking prevalence. OBJECTIVE.— To examine trends in smoking behavior before, during, and after the California Tobacco Control Program. DESIGN.— Per capita cigarette consumption data (1983-1997) were derived from tobacco industry sales figures. Adult (≥18 years) smoking prevalence data were obtained from the National Health Interview Surveys (1978-1994), the California Tobacco Surveys (1990-1996), the Current Population Surveys (1992-1996), and the California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey and its supplement (1991-1997). Trends were compared before and after introduction of the program, with the period after the program being divided into 2 parts (early, 1989-1993; late, 1994-1996). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES.— Change in cigarette consumption and smoking prevalence in California compared with the rest of the United States. RESULTS.— Per capita cigarette consumption declined 52% faster in California in the early period than previously (from 9.7 packs per person per month at the beginning of the program to 6.5 packs per person per month in 1993), and the decline was significantly greater in California than in the rest of the United States (P