Smoking rate unchanged here

The county’s adult smoking rate remained about the same in 2007, while the statewide trend showed a slight decline in Washington smokers.

According to results of a survey released Wednesday by the state Department of Health, 17.5 percent of adults in Clark County were smokers in 2007. That’s about the same as 2006, said Theresa Cross, with the county’s tobacco prevention and education program.

The state rate is 16.5 percent; that’s an all-time low for Washington, and down from the 2006 rate of 17 percent.

Clark County continues to be well below the national smoking rate of 19.8 percent.

The county has made some gains in the stop-smoking campaign over the past two decades. In 1990, Clark County had the state’s highest rate of adult smoking at 28 percent.

“The rate of drop has slowed, but we are on a downward trend, and we are pleased with that,” said Cross.

A significant drop was registered in 2006, the first full year of a statewide ban on smoking in public places. In 2005, the county’s adult smoking rate was 19.2 percent.

The ban went into effect late in 2005, and the following year the rate was 17.8 percent.

“We may not have enough data to link the drops with the ban, but we anticipate it had something to do with it,” Cross said.

Smokers also have been able to call 800-QUIT-NOW for help. Tax increases on cigarettes also tend to depress the smoking rate, she said.

And, people have been quitting. According to the survey, 25 percent of Clark County adults are former smokers.

“People across the board, regardless of age and education and economic level, want to quit at the same rate,” she said. “But people in some groups find it harder to stay quit. We want to increase support to those with less income and work with agencies where they are already receiving service.”

The statewide smoking rate for low-income adults is 32 percent, almost twice the overall rate. The rate for people with a high school diploma or less is 27 percent.