THE PARTNERSHIP WORKS.
That’s the simple truth. Here are the facts to support it:
The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi’s comprehensive tobacco-prevention programs have made an impact.
• From 1999-2004, relative percentage decreases for current smoking are:
o 32% among public high school students.
o 48% among public middle school students
o 42% among private high school students
• From 2000-2004, the relative percentage decrease for current smoking among private middle school students is 42%.
Due to the destruction caused to Mississippi's school systems by Hurricane Katrina, there was no survey fielded in 2005.
Mississippians want fully-funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
• Based on the 2005 Social Climate Survey:
o 85% of Mississippi adults believe that Mississippi should fund anti-tobacco education programs.
o 75% believe that Mississippi should fund programs that help smokers quit.
• Through The Partnership’s impact, Mississippi is conservatively projected to save more than $500 million in long-term smoking-related health care costs.
• Public health experts say the state will save lives by reducing smoking-caused deaths, which currently total 4,700 each year in Mississippi, and save money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs, which currently total $264 million a year under the Medicaid program alone.
