Washington State celebrated a great achievement last week: the smoking rate for adults has continued to drop over the past year. Now, only about 16.5 percent of all adults in Washington smoke, according to the Washington State Department of Health. According to the CDC, smoking in Washington State has dropped by over 25 percent since 2000. That translates to about 240,000 fewer adult smokers than in 2000. Washington’s success is largely the result of a comprehensive approach to tobacco prevention and control that has gained national recognition.

Despite the success that Washington has had in reducing the adult smoking rate, there is still work to be done. About 7,500 people in the state die each year from tobacco-related disease and many of them are from disparate populations. Washington State has been working to eliminate tobacco-related health disparity since the development of their comprehensive program in 2000. Free & Clear currently works with Washington on two components of their comprehensive tobacco prevention and control program and has been involved in helping them to address disparities in these areas.

Washington defines tobacco-related health disparity by a difference in the disease and death rates between high-risk communities and the general population. These differences result from increased tobacco use and limited access to healthcare and other services.

Tobacco-related health disparities are influenced by a variety of factors, including the geographic location, race and/or ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, disability or sexual orientation of a population. Reducing tobacco use in high-risk groups is a priority goal for the Department of Health.

The DOH received a federal grant from the CDC in 2001 to begin working on short-term and long-term strategies to address tobacco use disparity. A strategic plan was released in 2004. In 2007, the DOH released a comprehensive report on the tobacco-related disparities in Washington State. The report identifies key high-risk groups and suggests approaches to reduce prevalence. For more information, see, “Adult Smoking Rates in Washington: A Report on Current Disparities (2007)”

Free & Clear has worked to recognize and eliminate tobacco-related health disparities in Washington State’s Quit Programs. See below for some of the ways we have partnered with the state to do this.

Quit Programs:
The Washington State Tobacco Quit Line-
Any resident in Washington State is eligible to receive services through the State Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW).

Services are available in over 100 languages and Free & Clear has worked with WA State to offer a dedicated Spanish Quit Line (1-877-2NO-FUME).

Since 2000, when Washington began offering Quit Line services, over 100,000 people have called the Quit Line for help.

Although individuals covered under Medicaid have always received services through Washington’s Quit Line, this year, DSHS stepped in to cover a more robust service for Medicaid covered individuals. The new Medicaid service offers free Quit Line calls and up to 12 weeks of medication, if appropriate.

Quit Coaches serving WA State have undergone specific cultural competency training to serve participants from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds including: NativeAmerican/American Indian, LGBTQ, Latino/Hispanic and those with comorbidities.

The Tobacco Cessation Resource Center:
Washington offers free resources, training and outreach to health care providers and organizations through the Tobacco Cessation Resource Center (TCRC). The goal of TCRC is to increase the number of Health Care Providers who effectively intervene with their patients who use tobacco.

TCRC works largely with healthcare organizations and community groups serving the underserved including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals and Rural Hospitals.

TCRC provides free trainings and resources to health centers and communities who might not otherwise receive them.

TCRC builds capacity for tobacco cessation to occur in remote, rural areas.

For questions about the work Free & Clear has done with Washington State, contact Gillian Schauer at gillian.schauer@freeclear.com.