News and Events

Florida Youth Tobacco Survey Results Show a Sharp Decline in Youth Tobacco Use in Gilchrist County
by Tracy DeCubellis
Feburary 3, 2015

The county level data from the 2014 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey (FYTS) were published and there is a lot to celebrate among Gilchrist County Tobacco Free Partnership members, SWAT members, and community partners who support the tobacco prevention program. 

Quit Doc first received the tobacco prevention grant in 2008 after the FYTS was given to county high school students.  Unfortunately, the middle school students did not participate in the 2008 survey, but we can measure our progress among middle school youth starting with the 2010 FYTS.

Among high school students we see a significant change in tobacco use in all areas including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless, and all types of tobacco combined.

Tobacco Use Trends, Gilchrist County, 2000-2014

Gilchrist Middle School students do not differ statistically from their peers in the state, which is a big accomplishment! Here are the numbers for comparison which show the percent of students who have used each product within the last 30 days:

High School
2008
2014
Percent Change
Cigarettes
23.8%
15.7%
-34.0%
Cigars 
14.8%
9.9%
-33.1%
Smokeless
20.9%
12.2%
-41.6%
Any Form
36.2%
23.9%
-34.0%

Middle School
2010
2014
Percent Change
Cigarettes
7.7%
2.9%
-62.3%
Cigars 
2.3%
1.5%
-34.8%
Smokeless
6.4%
4.8%
-25.0%
Any Form
13.1%
6.9%
-47.3%

Another exciting change among middle school students is the reduction in exposure to smoke at home (-33.5%) and exposure to secondhand smoke (-22.1%). 

These data show us that the work of SWAT youth, the Tobacco Free Partnership, community partners serving youth such as the Gilchrist County School District and Gilchrist County 4-H, and policy interventions such as the county ordinance reducing youth access to candy flavored tobacco in convenience stores are working together to keep more Gilchrist County youth tobacco free. 

These numbers matter because they represent real children and real lives in our community.  The percent change in tobacco use among youth in Gilchrist County could very well mean 80-100 lives have been saved because these young people have never become regular smokers or spit tobacco users. 

What we have accomplished is worth celebrating, but we can’t afford to stop or rest now.  Tobacco companies have new products on the market every year, and we know that our youth in Gilchrist County are trying and using products like hookah and e-cigarettes on a regular basis.  Let’s celebrate our success and use the lessons we’ve learned to continue working toward a tobacco-free future for our youth in Gilchrist County!

For a full report on the 2014 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey Resuilts for Gilchrist County, click here.