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Abstract #159412

William A. Calo, MPH¹, David W. Wetter, PhD², Ana P. Ortiz, PhD³, Virmarie Correa, PhD¹, Carlos Mazas, PhD², Luz Mejía, MA², Maria Santos-Ortiz, PhD, CHES⁴, Antonio Cases, MPA⁵, and Elba Díaz, DMD¹. (1) Puerto Rico Cancer Center, University of Puerto Rico, PMB-371, PO Box 70344, San Juan, PR 00936-8344, 787-763-2443, william_calo@yahoo.com, (2) Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 125, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030-4009, (3) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, PO BOX 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, (4) School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, (5) Tobacco Control Prevention Department, Puerto Rico Health Department, PO Box 70184, San Juan, PR 00936

Background: In Puerto Rico, smoking accounts for an estimated 4,300 premature deaths yearly and $1.1 billion in annual health care expenditures and productivity losses. This work reviews Puerto Rico's tobacco control initiatives.

Methods: State policy measures that have proven effective in tobacco control such as excise taxes, smoke-free laws, the level of government expenditures for tobacco control, the implementation of cessation resources such as a Quitline, and media campaigns were examined. Also, trends in tobacco use among both adults (using BRFSS) and youth (using Consulta Juvenil survey) were examined.

Results: The percentage of adults who currently smoke cigarettes in Puerto Rico dropped from 14.5% in 1996 to 13.1% in 2005; while the percentage of adolescents who smoked in the past month decreased from 24.7% in 1994-1996 to 15.6% in 2000-2002. Per capita consumption of cigarettes (packs/year) decreased from 56 in 1966 to 31 in 2003, its lowest level ever. With respect to tobacco control initiatives, Puerto Rico ranks 17th among states and territories with respect to the largest cigarette excise taxes ($1.23), and only five states and territories, including Puerto Rico (beginning in March 2, 2007), have laws that prohibit smoking within restaurants, bars, and workplaces. Puerto Rico spends less than 7% of the CDC's recommended level of expenditures on tobacco control.

Conclusion: Despite the lack of a comprehensive tobacco control program, Puerto Rico has one of the lowest smoking rates in the United States, which is likely attributable to the combined impact of local policy measures and socio-cultural factors.

Learning Objectives:

• List four policy measures that have been proven effective in tobacco control in Puerto Rico.
• Discuss differences in policy effects on tobacco control use in among adults and young’s Puerto Ricans.
• Identify gap areas of public policy that need to be addressed in order to develop and implement effective tobacco control policies.

Keywords: Tobacco Policy, Tobacco Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.