1. Smoking Quit Ratio Trends in Texas by Gender, 1989-1994
2. Smoking Prevalence Trends in Texas by Gender, 1989-1994

Personal Behaviors and Cancer Risks

The following information uses data from the Texas Department of Health Behavioral Risk Surveillance System (BRFSS) to describe trends in adult smoking behavior and the frequency of mammography and Pap test screening.

Tobacco Use: Adults

In 1993, approximately 25,900 Texans died of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases directly related to tobacco use. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 20 percent of all deaths and 30 percent of all cancer deaths can be attributed to smoking(1). In 1993, 9,126 Texans died of lung cancer and approximately 9,300 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed(2). Cigarette smoking is also the principal cause of laryngeal cancer, a major cause of oral and esophageal cancer, a contributory factor in the development of bladder, kidney, pancreatic, and uterine cervical cancer, and is associated with stomach cancer. The use of smokeless tobacco has been associated with increased risks of developing oral cancer.

Smoking Prevalence work is still needed to see that Texas achieves the Year 2000 objective of smoking prevalence of 15 percent. Achieving this objective will mean that another 793,750 Texans will quit smoking between 1994 and 2000.

In 1994, there were an estimated 2.7 million smokers in Texas. The graph shows smoking trends for men and women from 1989 through 1994. Of the Texans who smoke, 71 percent smoke less than half a pack a day, and 45 percent have quit smoking for one day or longer in the past year. Results from the 1993 BRFSS revealed that approximately 70 percent of Texans would like to stop smoking. Male smokers had higher quit rates than did female smokers (61 percent vs. 58 percent).

1. Cancer Risk Report, 1994, American Cancer Society.
2. Cancer Facts and Figures, 1993, American Cancer Societ