South Dakota medicine : the journal of the South Dakota State Medical Association
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States, and the mortality rate continues to rise. Cigarette smoking is the major cause. COPD is preventable and treatable. Early recognition is important to decrease morbidity and mortality.
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Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States and in South Dakota. Reducing tobacco use among South Dakotans is critical to alleviate the heavy burden of preventable deaths, illnesses and excessive health care costs that result from using tobacco products. The South Dakota Department of Health's Tobacco Control Program has collaborated with various agencies and coalitions to discourage people from starting to smoke, to help current smokers quit and to protect all people from exposure to secondhand smoke. ⋯ Despite decreasing cigarette use among all adults in South Dakota, 18- to 24-year-olds still have the highest smoking rate, at 29.3 percent. Surveillance will continue to monitor tobacco use trends in South Dakota and assess the impact of tobacco control efforts. Some of the most important findings are summarized in the following report.