Kansas Mourns Lives Lost to Tobacco

Peter Jennings, 67, dies from lung cancer; More than 1,500 Kansans will also

August 9, 2005- Tobacco use has claimed another high profile victim. ABC news legend Peter Jennings joins a long list of celebrity smokers who have died as the result of tobacco-related illnesses. Jennings, a former smoker, announced in April that he had lung cancer. He died Sunday, August 7, at age 67.

In recognition of the more than 1,500 Kansans who will die from lung cancer caused by smoking this year, and the 4,000 Kansans who die each year from tobacco-related illnesses, Kansas smokers are encouraged to call the state's toll-free Tobacco Quitline at 1-866-KAN-STOP.

"The death of Peter Jennings has focused the spotlight on the devastating consequences of tobacco use," said Howard Rodenberg, M.D., M.P.H., KDHE Division of Health Director. "We need to remember that tobacco use affects us all and to promote tobacco cessation support to all smokers," he added.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nearly 1,500 Kansans died annually from lung cancer caused by smoking from 1997-2001. Smoking also caused hundreds of Kansans to die from cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, bladder and larynx. In the United States, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2004 there were about 173,770 new cases of lung cancer in the United States: 93,110 among men and 80,660 among women. About 160,440 people will die of this disease: 91,930 men and 68,510 women.

Tobacco smoking is responsible for the majority of lung cancer deaths. The longer a person has been smoking and the more packs per day they smoke, the greater the risk. If a person stops smoking before lung cancer develops, the lung tissue slowly returns to normal. Stopping smoking at any age lowers the risk of lung cancer. Cigar and pipe smoking are almost as likely to cause lung cancer as cigarette smoking. There is no evidence that smoking low tar cigarettes reduces the risk of lung cancer.

"There is no safe cigarette, whether it is called 'light,' 'ultra-light,' or any other name," Rodenberg said. "The science is clear: the only way to avoid the health hazards of smoking is to quit completely or to never start smoking."

When you're ready to quit, the Toll free Kansas Tobacco Quitline, 1-866-KAN STOP is a free, useful and effective toll. The Kansas Tobacco Quitline (1-866-KAN-STOP) is a free service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Experienced cessation counselors work with the caller to prepare for a quit date and help them make a personalized quit plan. The one-on-one telephone counseling sessions are scheduled at times convenient for the caller. Callers are encouraged to contact the Quitline as many times as possible to help them meet their goals.

For more information on quitting tobacco use, call 1-866-KAN-STOP.

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