Agency leader: More N.D. anti-tobacco spending means less smoking

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The director of North Dakota's tobacco control agency says increased spending on anti-tobacco efforts has resulted in less smoking among adults and young people.

North Dakota lawmakers say the rate of decline has been slow, and Jeanne Prom says the adult smoking rate is “not very impressive.”

Prom briefed legislators Tuesday on the agency's anti-tobacco spending.

In the last two years, 42 public and private schools and five colleges have adopted tobacco-free policies. Five cities have approved comprehensive smoking bans in buildings.

Prom says the youth smoking rate has dropped from 21.1 percent to 19.4 percent among young people since 2007. For adults it has declined from 18.1 percent to 17.4 percent in three years.

Prom says she wants to see those figures in the low single digits.

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