- New Index Shows the Twin Cities Have Best Combination of
Laws, Lifestyle for Those Trying to Kick the Habit -
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Minneapolis and St. Paul are the most
friendly cities for people trying to stop smoking cigarettes, while Atlanta is
the least, according to new information released today by GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK) Consumer Healthcare. The analysis is the first of its kind to compare
metropolitan areas based on key smoking cessation factors such as cigarette
taxes, as well as behavioral and lifestyle components like access to exercise
facilities.
According to the Quit-Friendly Cities Index, Minneapolis/St. Paul is in
first place. Rounding out the top ten are New York, Los Angeles, Boston,
Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Pittsburgh, San Francisco/Oakland, Seattle/Tacoma,
Sacramento, and Philadelphia. Through perhaps unexpected means, all of these
cities are making it easier for smokers to give up cigarettes and begin living
smoke-free lives.
"Smoking addiction has two basic causes: personal habit and physical
dependence on nicotine. To improve their chances of quitting, smokers need an
environment that motivates and supports them throughout the quitting process,"
said Bill Slivka, Vice President, Smoking Control, GSK Consumer Healthcare.
"As the category leader in smoking cessation we know what factors help a
smoker quit for good. Breaking free of smoking addiction takes more than
willpower. It takes support of all types -- from effective tobacco-control
policies to leisure opportunities to medicinal nicotine like the nicotine gum,
patch or lozenge -- in order to succeed."
To determine which cities are the most "friendly" for quitting, the Index
factors criteria ranging from smoke-free laws and taxes on cigarettes to the
number of parks and yoga studios, activities to keep hands busy, and outlets
to relax and de-stress.
Smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the United States,
accounting for approximately one out of every five deaths, or 440,000 people
each year.(1) More than 22 percent of all adults in the United States smoke
cigarettes.(2,3) An estimated three out of four smokers would like to quit,
and each year about 15 million smokers do quit for at least one day. Yet
fewer than 5 percent of them successfully remain tobacco-free for three to 12
months.(4) Most smokers try to quit using cold turkey even though quitting
without the right product or support is the least effective way to succeed.
Studies show nearly all cold turkey quit attempts (97 percent) fail.(5)
"Quitting smoking is one of the most important steps smokers can take to
improve their health -- but it's also one of the most difficult. Using our
gum, patch or lozenge helps smokers manage the cravings for nicotine, and can
significantly increase a smoker's chance of quitting successfully,(6)" said
Slivka.
For tips, suggestions and solutions to help smokers quit and maintain a
smoke-free lifestyle visit http://www.quit.com.
About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest over-
the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-
known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R),
NicoDerm(R) and Commit(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples such as
Abreva(R), Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R) and Tums(R). GlaxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare continues to develop innovative products to help all smokers find
their best support system and achieve their goal of being cigarette free.
About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline is one of the world's leading research-based
pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare companies. GlaxoSmithKline is
committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do
more, feel better and live longer.
Survey Methodology
Twenty-five cities in top media markets were selected and ranked to
determine which are best or most "friendly" for quitting smoking. To ensure
the Index accurately addresses contributors to both nicotine and habit-related
addiction, it was developed based on evidentiary data such as tobacco control
policies and programs, and intuitive data such as behavioral and lifestyle
indicators supportive of a quit attempt.
The Index considered such factors as clean indoor-air laws, level of
cigarette tax, Medicaid coverage for smoking cessation, smoke-free air laws in
state capitols and/or government buildings, and opportunities to exercise.
Final rankings were based on a composite score of combined evidentiary and
intuitive data. For both the evidentiary and intuitive criteria, the cities
were rated on a scale of zero to five and ranked first-to-last based on the
highest number of collective points. The evidentiary score for each city was
multiplied by five to give it more weight.
Final Quit-Friendly Cities Index Results
1. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
2. New York City, NY
3. Los Angeles, CA
4. Boston, MA
5. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL
6. Pittsburgh, PA
7. San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, CA
8. Seattle/Tacoma, WA
9. Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, CA
10. Philadelphia, PA
11. Phoenix, AZ
12. Washington, DC
13. Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota, FL
14. Detroit, MI
15. Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL
16. Cleveland, OH
17. Denver, CO
18. Baltimore, MD
19. Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
20. Portland, OR
21. Chicago, IL
22. St. Louis, MO
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. Houston, TX
25. Atlanta, GA
(1) U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual smoking-
attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and economic
costs -- United States, 1995-1999. (PDF - 220k) Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report 2002;51(14):300-303. Accessed: May 2004.
(2) U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette smoking
among adults -- United States, 2002. (PDF - 456k) Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report 2004;53(20):428-431. Accessed: May 2004.
(3) U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for
Health Statistics; Health, United States, 2003 With Chartbook on
Trends in the Health of Americans. (PDF - 117k) Hyattsville, MD: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, 2003:141. Accessed: May
2004.
(4) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences
of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.
(5) Hughes, JR et al. Healthy Psychology. "Smoking Cessation Among Self-
Quitters." 1992, II (5), 331-334.
(6) Fiore, MC; Bailey, WC; Cohen, SJ; et al. Treating tobacco use and
dependence. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. June
2000: 72.
SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
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Related links:
http://www.quit.com
CONTACT:
Rosy McGillan of Porter Novelli,
+1-202-973-1361, rosemary.mcgillan@porternovelli.com, for
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare; or Malesia Dunn of
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, +1-412-200-3544,
malesia.a.dunn@gsk.com
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