Youth smoking prevention campaign associated with substantial decrease in youth smoking

The American Legacy Foundation’s national truth youth smoking prevention campaign; accelerated the decline in youth smoking rates between 2000 and 2002.

Twenty-two percent of the overall decline in youth smoking during these years is attributable directly to the truth campaign, according to new research published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

The study, which is the first to evaluate the behavioral outcomes of the truth campaign, also found that by 2002, there were approximately 300,000 fewer youth smokers as a result of truth.

The study assessed whether there is a dose-response relationship between the level of exposure to the campaign and changes in youth smoking rates during the first two years of the campaign, 2000-2002. While the truth campaign was launched nationally, the amount of campaign messages varied considerably across media markets and over time during 2000-2002.

“Evidence of a Dose-Response Relationship between ‘Truth’ Antismoking Ads and Youth Smoking” by Matthew Farrelly and colleagues found that youth who were exposed to a greater number of truth advertisements were less likely to smoke. Dr. Farrelly notes that, “previous research showed that truth advertisements appealed to teens and changed their attitudes about smoking. Now we find these positive reactions have resulted in lower smoking rates, the most important outcome for public health.” The study examined changes in youth smoking to varying rates of exposure to the ads over time and across media markets in the U.S., controlling for national and state trends in tobacco control measures and other risk behaviors. Grade, race/ethnicity, gender, parental education and weekly income were also controlled factors in the study.

Data from the Monitoring the Future survey was used to provide a nationally representative sample of approximately 50,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 who were surveyed each spring from 1997-2002. The Monitoring the Future survey is designed to monitor youth alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use in the U.S. and is conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research.

“The truth campaign has made a significant impact in reducing youth smoking rates in the United States. The study findings are consistent with previous studies, which demonstrate that effective smoking prevention campaigns are critical to the public health of this nation and that their elimination will likely reverse gains that have been made in reducing youth smoking,” said Dr. Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation.

“More and more teens are choosing health by not smoking, and that is absolutely terrific news,” said CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. “Still, over 4 million teens in the United States are smoking cigarettes so it’s important for campaigns that work such as truth to continue so we don’t lose the valuable momentum we’ve gained to date in the fight against smoking.”

Each day, more than 4,000 youth ages 12 to 17 try a cigarette for the first time, and 80 percent of all smokers have their first cigarette before age 18. Between one-third and one-half of youth who try a cigarette will go on to become a daily smoker. From 1997-2002, the prevalence of smoking among all grades combined (8th, 10th and 12th) fell from 28.0 percent to 18.0 percent, representing a 36 percent overall decline.

"The truth campaign has performed an immeasurable service in encouraging the decline of smoking among youth," said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. "Every day, thousands of children jeopardize their health by becoming smokers, and more lives will be imperiled if we do not continue to educate teens about the deadly risks of smoking. The truth campaign undoubtedly plays a crucial part in changing the attitudes of young people toward smoking, thus shielding them from future tobacco addiction and related disease. By preventing this hazardous behavior, we may further ensure that today's young people will be healthier adults."

The truth campaign, launched in February 2000, is the largest national youth smoking prevention campaign and the only national campaign not directed by the tobacco industry. The campaign exposes the tactics of the tobacco industry, the truth about addiction, health effects and social consequences of smoking and allows teens to make informed choices about tobacco use by giving them the facts about the industry and its products. The campaign can be seen on media popular with youth such as MTV, FOX, the WB, Fuse, Spike, G4 and BET. Print advertisements for the campaign run in magazines such as Vibe, CosmoGirl and Transworld Skateboarder and thetruth.com is a popular Web site with an average of 250,000 unique visitors each month.

“We are at a critical stage in this fight. Both state-sponsored youth smoking prevention programs and the truth campaign are in jeopardy,” said William Sorrell, Vermont Attorney General and member of the American Legacy Foundation’s Board of Directors. “The foundation has received what is likely its last major payment from the Master Settlement Agreement. Now the funding for truth is rapidly declining. We need both the state and national campaigns to prevent young people from becoming addicted to cigarettes and facing a lifetime of disease.”

The American Legacy Foundation, which provides strategic direction and funding for the truth campaign, received in 2003 what is likely its final payment from the National Public Education Fund established by the Master Settlement Agreement. Despite its success, the truth campaign now faces an unprecedented funding challenge. Youth smoking rates are at a historic 28-year low. In fact, at the present rate of decline youth smoking could meet or exceed the federal Healthy People 2010 objective of a rate of decline to 16 percent by 2010. truth is needed to counter the $12.5 billion the tobacco industry spent in 2002 to advertise and promote their products in the U.S. alone. Without truth this decline could end or even reverse itself. If truth dies it won’t die alone.

http://www.americanlegacy.org