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March 26, 2002 Cigarette use down a third since '96 By AMALIE YOUNG
``It's a love-hate relationship,'' he says of his pack-a-day habit. ``I enjoy it too much. But I know it's not good for me.'' Jenkins, a Portland insurance agent, is convinced that stopping cold turkey won't work. He'll try the patch. Mood-boosting pills. Maybe hypnosis. He might even call the state's toll-free Tobacco Quit Line. According to the state Department of Human Services, more Oregonians than ever are calling the hot line for help - 5,304 more calls were made in 2001 than in 2000 - evidence that more Oregonians than ever are trying to quit. Oregonians, in fact, are well ahead of the rest of the country in kicking their smoking habits, health officials say. Since the 1996 launch of the state's anti-smoking program, cigarette use has fallen by nearly one third. That's a 29 percent drop, compared to a 13.3 percent drop in the latest national figures. Oregonians smoked an estimated 1.5 billion fewer cigarettes in 2001 than in 1996, officials said. ``That translates to 75 million packs of cigarettes,'' said state epidemiologist Mel Kohn. ``For each year we maintain this success, over 1,800 lives and $450 million will be saved in Oregon's future.'' The state tallies statewide cigarette consumption by totaling annual tobacco-tax data from the Oregon Department of Revenue. Smoking among Oregon teens also is down, officials said. The percentage of eighth-graders who smoke has fallen 44 percent since 1996. Among 11th-graders, the number of smokers has dropped 30 percent during the same period. Oregon's stand-out success in helping people quit smoking - and keeping them from starting in the first place - can be traced to its comprehensive anti-smoking campaign, Kohn said. Similar programs exist in Arizona, California and Massachusetts, he said. Oregon's program includes the Quit Line and other public education efforts. The state also provides funding for tobacco prevention and control programs in schools and local communities. Special attention is given to populations that seem to have higher rates of use, Kohn said. ``Changing people's behavior is a difficult thing to do,'' he said. ``I'm very proud. It's a very, very good thing for the health of Oregonians.'' Jenkins, who sat smoking a cigarette in downtown Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square during a sunny lunch break Monday, said quitting has been an ``ongoing thing. ``I've tried a few times - unsuccessfully,'' he said. ``I'll need some help, but I'm going to kick this by 30.''
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