Advanced Search
Index: Health / Subcategory: Alcohol Tobacco & Other Drugs

Community Attitudes Toward Smoking

Date Posted: 02/04/2008

Chart Directory:

The Tobacco Program Evaluation Group (TPEG), University of Colorado Denver / AMC Cancer Center, conducted the Colorado Tobacco Attitudes and Behavior Survey (TABS) in 2001 and 2005. TPEG received a grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment through the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (STEPP). The Colorado Tobacco Attitudes and Behavior Survey (TABS) surveys a random sample of Colorado adults (aged 18+) about cigarette use and cessation, use of other tobacco products, secondhand smoke exposure, and tobacco burdens. For more information on dataset details go to the TABS report.

Please note that the sample size for the 18-24 year old population was relatively small for the survey. While there is progress being made among tobacco users in this age group, the considerable decrease reflected in the charts below may overstate the progress.

What this chart shows: Smoking Status and Rules-Larimer County & Colorado, 2001 & 2005

Smoking Status and Rules-Larimer County & Colorado, 2001 & 2005

Data Sources: Colorado Health Information Dataset, TABS Survey, Adult Tobacco Use and Exposure, Colorado 2001 and 2005, and Larimer County Tobacco Snapshot: 2001 & 2005

See data table

What these data tell us:

Colorado and Larimer County had similar percentages for each of the survey items displayed above. Both Colorado and Larimer County showed a decrease in the percentage of smokers overall. The percentage of residents reporting smoke-free rules in the home and personal vehicles also increased for Larimer County and Colorado.

According to the Adult Tobacco Use and Exposure, Colorado 2001 and 2005 report, cigarette smoking causes 1,492 premature deaths from cancer, 1,316 from cardiovascular disease, and 1,509 from respiratory disease among adults aged 35 and older each year in Colorado. The report also states that cigarette smoking is known to cause bladder cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, oral cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, and a variety of other diseases.

What this chart shows: Percentage of Adults who Smoke by Age and Ethnicity, Larimer County and Colorado, 2001 & 2005

Percentage of Adults who Smoke by Age and Ethnicity, Larimer County and Colorado, 2001 & 2005

*Percentage not calculated for Larimer County

Data Source: Colorado Health Information Dataset, TABS Survey, Adult Tobacco Use and Exposure, Colorado 2001 and 2005 and Larimer County Tobacco Snapshot: 2001 & 2005

See data table

What these data tell us:

Larimer County and Colorado had mixed results for the percentage of smokers by age and ethnicity groups. The percentage of Colorado smokers decreased in every age group for 2005 as compared with data obtained for 2001. Larimer County, however, showed an increase in the number of smokers in both the 25-64 years old and 65+ years old age groups. Larimer County showed a large decrease in the percentage of smokers in the 18-24 years old age group (from 30.90% in 2001 to 14.10% in 2005). The sample size for the 18-24 year old population was relatively small for the survey. While there is progress being made among tobacco users in this age group, the considerable decrease reflected may overstate the progress.

Larimer County only had data obtained on the percentage of smokers in the White (non-Hispanic) and Latino/Hispanic ethnicity groups. For the White (non-Hispanic) ethnicity group, both Larimer County and Colorado had a decrease in the percentage of smokers. Larimer County and Colorado showed an overall increase in the percentage of Latino/Hispanic smokers in 2005. The percentage of Asian Americans and American Indians that smoke decreased in 2005 for Colorado. African Americans in Colorado and the 'all other ethnicities group' both had an increase in the percentage of smokers. The surveys were completed in 2001 and again in 2005. As a result of this, it is unclear whether any of the results show a continuous trend.

Additional Information:

On Compass -

Outside Compass -

Industry Standards or Targets:

Healthy People 2010 Objectives or see Adult Tobacco Use on Compass.

Data Tables:

Smoking Status and Rules-Larimer County and Colorado, 2001 & 2005

Larimer County

Colorado

2001

2005

2001

2005

Smokers who attempted to quit

64.2%

69.5%

64.14%

68.3%

Smokers advised to quit by doctor

51.8%

57.7%

54.39%

58.7%

Current smoking among adults

16.9%

15.0%

19.65%

17.3%

Current smoking among women

14.5%

11.9%

19.08%

15.1%

Current smoking among men

19.2%

18.1%

20.22%

19.5%

Percent of residents reporting smoke-free rules in the home

83.3%

85.7%

75.10%

81.3%

Percent of residents reporting smoke-free rules in personal vehicles

64.2%

72.1%

63.10%

69.0%

See chart

Percent of Larimer County and Colorado Adults who Smoke by Age and Ethnicity Group, 2001 & 2005

Larimer County

Colorado

2001

2005

2001

2005

White (non-Hispanic)

16.0%

13.1%

19.1%

15.6%

Hispanic/Latino

21.9%

23.6%

21.7%

22.8%

African American/Black

N/C

N/C

17.9%

19.4%

American Indian

N/C

N/C

36.4%

34.9%

Asian American

N/C

N/C

16.4%

14.5%

All other ethnicities

N/C

N/C

29.0%

29.9%

18-24 year olds

30.9%

14.1%

30.3%

24.5%

25-64 year olds

16.3%

16.7%

19.6%

17.7%

65+ years old

5.3%

6.6%

9.2%

7.8%

See chart