Vermont is one of the best places in the country to live. Everyone has heard of the gorgeous fall foliage, the fantastic skiing, and of course the maple syrup, but did you know that Vermont is also considered healthiest state in the nation? Last month, America’s Health Rankings listed Vermont as the healthiest state in the U.S. for the third consecutive year. America’s Health Rankings is the longest-running annual report of the nation’s health, and considers such factors as usage of prenatal care, per capital health funding, availability of primary care physicians, and smoking rate, among others.
KSV and our client, The Vermont Department of Health Tobacco Control Program, are proud to have played a role in the prestigious title. Since 2001, when KSV began working with the Vermont Department of Health, we have contributed to a significant decline in the percentage of high school students who smoked in the past 30 days. That number was 24 percent in 2001 and plummeted, year after year, to 13 percent in 2011.
We are extremely pleased with the results, but now we want to see the numbers continue to drop. That’s why we will launch the Gut Feelings campaign in February 2012. Geared for teens, Gut Feelings features a single, clear idea: deep inside, you know what to do about smoking. You can check it out here: http://ovx.org/listen-your-gut/.
Over the last decade, we have also seen a remarkable decrease in the number of Vermont adults who smoke cigarettes, from 22 percent in 2001 to 15 percent in 2010. 15 percent is two points lower than the national smoking rate, 17 percent. Because KSV and the Vermont Department of Health realize that quitting smoking is one of the most difficult behavioral changes a person can make, we have partnered to create and promote the Vermont Quit Network, a resource that provides Vermonters the tools, support and incentives to help them quit.
KSV is proud to call Vermont home, and we look forward to continuing our important work with the Vermont Department of Health.