Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death for Iowans, taking the lives of more than 5,100 adults each year.
Estimated annual health care costs in Iowa directly related to tobacco use now total $1.28 billion. The Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control works to reduce tobacco use and the toll of tobacco-caused disease and death by preventing youth from starting, helping adults and youth to quit, and preventing exposure to secondhand smoke.
To achieve these goals, the Division follows Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) guidelines for comprehensive tobacco control programs. State-level initiatives include Quitline Iowa cessation services, youth tobacco-use prevention programming and enforcement of Iowa's Smokefree Air Act. Local tobacco control programs, called Community Partnerships, support tobacco control initiatives at the community level. The Division also conducts ongoing surveillance of tobacco use by youth and adults in Iowa.
Tobacco & Environment
Tobacco use is still the single greatest preventable cause of death and disease in Iowa. However, our communities are working in a variety of ways to reduce tobacco’s harm by:
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Eliminating tobacco-related health disparities
- Keeping youth and young adults from starting
- Reducing exposure to secondhand smoke
- Helping people quit