My Turn: Tobacco Cessation Programs Save Lives

Burlington Free Press

My Turn: Tobacco cessation programs save lives
BY JOHN HUGHES

ON JULY 1, THE CIGARETTE TAX WILL INCREASE ANOTHER 20 CENTS TO $1.99/PACK AND PUSH THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A PACK OF CIGARETTES TO OVER $5
JUNE 23, 2008

Over the last decade, our Legislature has saved thousands of Vermonters' lives and saved the state millions of dollars by increasing the tax on cigarettes, passing smoke-free policies, and funding the Vermont Tobacco Control Program. As a result, the percentage of youths who smoke has decreased dramatically from 31 percent in 2000 to 16 percent in 2007, and in adults from 22 percent to 18 percent.

These actions will save thousands of Vermonters from early deaths due to tobacco and will save the state millions of dollars in health care costs. No initiative the state has taken has had a greater public health benefit for Vermonters.

There is room for progress. Most of the adult smokers we have convinced to quit have been the less-addicted smokers, leaving us the challenge of the more "hard core" smokers. For these remaining smokers, although motivation via taxes, etc., is important, it's just not enough. That's because for most of these smokers quitting is not just an issue of motivation. In the past, many thought that if someone was depressed or had alcohol problems, they just needed to be motivated to change. We now know that many such persons require treatment to overcome their problem.

Similarly, there are many smokers who are very unlikely to quit without treatment. To get these smokers to quit, we need to continue to fund our state tobacco program so it can provide counseling and medication to these smokers. In addition, if we raise the price of cigarettes with taxes, it seems only humane that we couple it with free help for the smokers who now want to quit.

Finally, some Vermonters have the misperception that the smoking problem has been fixed. Every year 900 Vermonters die early due to tobacco. Preventing youths from starting and helping the remaining smokers to quit will require continued and perhaps even stepped-up efforts, but it's worth it. Every time three youths decide not to smoke or three adults quit, we save one early death. As a physician, I can tell you there are few things I do that have such a great benefit.

John Hughes of Shelburne is a physician and former chairman of the Vermont Tobacco Evaluation and Review Board.