Volume 1: No. 1, January 2004
COMMUNITY CASE STUDIES
Straight from the Heart: Mississippi
Tobacco Control Program
The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi
Suggested citation for this article: The Partnership for a Healthy
Mississippi. Straight from the heart: Mississippi Tobacco Control Program
[video]. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online] 2004 Jan [date
cited]. Available from: URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2004/
jan/03_00021.htm
The following film excerpt from Straight from the Heart describes
the impact of a tobacco prevention and education program on the life of a
young Mississippian and a school nurse who showed him the way to a healthier
life.
The film was produced by The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi*, which
is committed to teaching Mississippi's youth about the dangers of tobacco
use. The comprehensive programs developed by The Partnership for a Healthy
Mississippi are making a positive impact on Mississippians by combining
community and faith-based efforts with school programs, a school nurse
program, cessation programs, media, and the enforcement of laws that prohibit
the sale of tobacco to youth.
Results of the 2002 Youth Tobacco Survey showed that cigarette use, from
1999 to 2002, dropped by
- 28% among public high school students,
- 47% among public middle school students, and
- 40% among private high school students.
Since 2000, cigarette use by private middle school students has dropped
16%. Mississippi's programs are recognized nationally as among the
most efficient in the country. While the national average for high school
cigarette use has remained at 28% for the past 3 years,
Mississippi has reduced smoking in this age group to 23%. Cessation
programs are making an impact on adult smoking rates as well. The
Partnership funds cessation programs that are available free of charge to
all Mississippians. The adult smoking rate in Mississippi is now at 20%, down from 25% just one year ago.
A transcript of Straight from the Heart is
also available.
*URLs for nonfederal organizations are provided solely as a
service to our users. URLs do not constitute an endorsement of any organization
by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is
not responsible for the content of Web pages found at these URLs.
|