Extinguishing the tobacco epidemic in Missouri

MISSOURI KEY FACTS In 2015, 32.1% of Missouri high school youth reported currently using any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes. Among Missouri high school youth, 11.0% reported currently smoking cigarettes. PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO TOBACCO USE IN MISSOURI There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. It causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. Missouri is focused on increasing tobacco-free and smoke-free campuses at Missouri colleges and universities. Tobacco-free environments mean that no tobacco product is used at any time, whereas smoke-free environments prohibit the use of combusted tobacco products only. Smoke-free and tobacco-free environments prevent initiation, encourage quitting, and protect nonsmokers from the harms of secondhand smoke exposure. Missouri’s tobacco control program partnered with colleges and universities to educate stakeholders on the importance of having tobacco-free campuses. By 2016, Missouri had increased the number of colleges or universities that are smoke-free from 26 to 32—and five of these campuses are fully tobacco-free. These policies protect more than 200,000 Missouri students throughout the state from secondhand smoke. For more information on tobacco prevention and control, visit cdc.gov/tobacco.

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection