Smoking rates and deaths from lung cancer vary around the state, as shown in the report. Counties with the highest rate of adult smoking from 1993 to 1997 were Grays Harbor, Lewis and Pacific counties. These counties also had some of the highest rates of maternal smoking, tobacco sales to minors and lung cancer deaths. King County had one of the lowest adult smoking rates in the state, and also has some of the lowest rates for maternal smoking, tobacco sales to minors and lung cancer deaths. Half of high school students who smoke buy cigarettes at stores, despite laws preventing selling tobacco to minors.
Adults are another major source of cigarettes for high school and middle school children.
Smoking among pregnant women is declining, from 17.9 percent in 1993 to 14.6 percent in 1997. Use of smokeless tobacco is also a problem. Gov. Gary Locke and Attorney General Christine Gregoire have proposed using a portion of the state's tobacco settlement to create the Tobacco Prevention and Control Fund. The fund would provide revenue for anti-smoking and prevention programs statewide. We can do this by investing a portion of the tobacco settlement money in efforts that will protect children and target our state's unique needs.