Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Nicotine use is still the leading preventable contributor to disease and death in the United States. States in the Mountain West share many, but not all, patterns and trends in nicotine use.

This session presents findings from surveys on adult nicotine use conducted by WYSAC in the region, highlighting Colorado's neighbors to the north and south. WYSAC has conducted similar surveys in seven states. We will share how we develop survey instruments tailored to each state's needs, how we field surveys, and how we weight and analyze data to obtain accurate estimates of nicotine-related behaviors and opinions.

Our findings show broadly that:

* Smoking rates have declined while vaping rates have increased, so that vaping now matches or exceeds smoking among adults.
* Young adults, people experiencing poverty, and people with behavioral health challenges are disproportionately likely to vape.
* Poverty and behavioral health are significant predictors of cigarette smoking.
* In New Mexico, most smokers and vapers intend to quit within the next six months. In Wyoming, roughly a third of smokers tried to quit in the last year
* In New Mexico, people living in multi-unit housing are significantly more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes.
* Substantial majorities of adults support cigarette tax increases and tax increases on other nicotine products.

We will present maps showing state- and county-level variations and graphs detailing variations across demographics and other population characteristics.

States in the Mountain West share in national trends in nicotine use and behaviors, but also differ in important ways. There are strong associations between social determinants of health and nicotine use and behaviors, but these determinants vary across our region. Placing local data in a regional context enables public health professionals to see both what we share and how we differ.