New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed fewer teenagers using vaping products. Some local leaders said the data is promising for public health, but Oklahoma still has work to do.
“Our smoking rates are still higher than the rest of the nation but we’re narrowing that gap,” said Thomas Larson, public information officer for the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust or TSET. “[Tobacco usage is] handed down from generation to generation.”
In 2000, Oklahoma voters created TSET. Larson said settlement money is invested in efforts to improve public health.
“In the late ‘90s, Oklahoma was one of 46 states that sued big tobacco over the harms that their products caused residents,” Larson said. “70% of that payment from big tobacco goes into the TSET endowment. That includes the Oklahoma tobacco helpline. We fund cancer research.”
More people have turned to e-cigarettes — including children.
“There are still cancer-causing chemicals in that vapor,” Larson said. “Government’s responsibility is to keep these products out of the hands of kids.”
Nationwide, new CDC data from 2023—2024 shows e-cigarette usage among middle and high school students declined from 7.7% to 5.9%. Larson says Oklahoma has also improved but needs more action.
“We have higher rates of tobacco usage than other states,” Larson said. “It’s the fact that 22% of our kids are using vapes — that’s just far too high.”
Larson’s office pushes for policy changes to combat teen vaping.
“If you increase the price, you have less initiation,” Larson said.
TSET educates the community on the consequences beyond the doctor’s office.
“Our taxes pay for Medicaid and Medicare and the less healthy our neighbors are the more those programs are going cost,” Larson said.
Larson said TSET is there to advocate for people’s well-being.
“Everyone deserves to live in a healthy community,” Larson said.
TSET just launched a new program called ‘Talk About Tobacco’ with information for families. The public can also visit the website stopswithme.com for more resources surrounding tobacco products.
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