To keep kids smoke free, know the research and facts behind the dangers of tobacco use and what is being done about it. For additional research on tobacco use in Florida and its effects, visit http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/.

The Centers for Disease Control's web site contains additional information about the importance of reducing tobacco use: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_tobacco/.

The Cost of Tobacco Use

• Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for more than 440,000 deaths each year.

• In Florida, nearly 29,000 deaths are attributable to tobacco use annually.

• The threat of tobacco is greatest among youth. In fact, more than 35,900 children under the age of 18 become new, daily smokers each year.

• Tobacco's Toll:  390,581 kids have become regular smokers in 2005 and 124,986 will die prematurely from their addiction.

• Current annual health care costs directly caused by smoking total $5.82 billion in Florida, with an additional $5.86 billion in lost productivity. This amounts to Florida taxpayers handing over $554 per household, per year, to help pay for the state’s smoking burden.

Big Tobacco Efforts vs. Florida Legislature Efforts

• Marketing by the tobacco industry is higher in Florida than in any other state. In 2005, a staggering $1.262 billion was spent by the tobacco industry to market their products to a new generation of Florida smokers. The tobacco industry’s marketing budget has continued to increase by approximately $100 million each year since 1998.

• The Florida Youth Tobacco Control program had been a national model prior to the legislative budget cuts we experienced during the last two legislative sessions. The program had reduced smoking rates by 58 percent among middle school students and 37 percent among high school students. This decline represented more than 128,000 fewer youth smokers and nearly 49,000 fewer premature smoking deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health.