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News and Events

Florida Youth Tobacco Survey Results Show a Sharp Decline in Youth Tobacco Use in DeSoto County
February 3, 2015

The county level data from the 2014 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (FYTS) were published and there is a lot to celebrate among DeSoto County Tobacco Free Partnership members, SWAT members, and community partners who support the tobacco prevention program. 

Quit Doc first received the tobacco prevention grant in 2009. Since that time, there has been a marked decrease tobacco use among middle and high school students in DeSoto County. There has also been a significant drop in secondhand smoke exposure among those same students.

Here are the numbers for comparison which show the percent of students who have used each product within the last 30 days:

High School
2008
2014
Percent Change
Cigarettes
18.1%
12.3%
-32.0%
Cigars 
19.2%
13.7%
-28.6%
Smokeless
13.2%
12.7%
-3.8%
Any Form
32.9%
27.6%
-16.1%
Secondhand Smoke Exposure
59.5%
46.6%
-21.7%

Middle School
2008
2014
Percent Change
Cigarettes
6.9%
4.9%
-29.0%
Cigars 
8.4%
2.7%
-67.9%
Smokeless
11.3%
4.0%
-64.6%
Any Form
17.5%
9.2%
-47.4%
Secondhand Smoke Exposure
53.8%
39.1%
-27.3%

We are particularly proud of the drop in the rates of tobacco use among middle school students. There were over 60% decreases in the rates of cigar and smokeless tobacco use among middle school students, and rates of use of all forms of tobacco among this age group are at historic lows!

This chart reveals the data on cigar use among youth in DeSoto County, which reveals that cigar use among middle school students has fallen below the state average for the first time since 2006:

DeSoto Cigar Stats

The data shows us that the work of SWAT youth, the Tobacco Free Partnership, and community partners such as the DeSoto County School District have made a difference for the youth in DeSoto County. These numbers matter because they represent real children and real lives in our community. 

What we have accomplished is worth celebrating, but we can’t afford to stop or rest now.  Tobacco companies have new products on the market every year, and we know that our youth in DeSoto County are trying and using products like hookah and e-cigarettes on a regular basis.  Let’s celebrate our success and use the lessons we’ve learned to continue working toward a tobacco-free future for our youth in DeSoto County!

For a full report on the 2014 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey Resuilts for DeSoto County, click here.