OKLAHOMA KEY FACTS

In 2015, 31.4% of Oklahoma high school youth reported currently using any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes. Among Oklahoma high school youth, 13.1% reported currently smoking cigarettes.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO TOBACCO USE IN OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma’s tobacco prevention and control program is working to eliminate barriers to help smokers quit for good. Most smokers try a number of times to quit successfully, so eliminating barriers to quitting, such as copayments for treatment or limits on the number of quit attempts covered by insurance, are critical ways to help smokers quit. The Oklahoma tobacco control program identified that one-third of the state’s Medicaid population smokes. Seeking to reduce this disparity, the state worked to integrate cessation treatments into routine care for Medicaid patients. The program focused on reducing barriers, such as removing preauthorization. Further, county health departments cooperated by screening all clients for tobacco use and directly referring them to the state’s quitline. In less than six months after this integration intervention, utilization of the benefit increased by about 50%. The approach also identified copayments for tobacco cessation treatment as a major barrier for Medicaid smokers. After demonstrating that a change would have minimal fiscal impact on the state budget, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority eliminated copayments for FDA-approved cessation medications.

For more information on tobacco prevention and control, visit cdc.gov/tobacco.