What's Project

Filter?

Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare's program (www.projectfilter.org) to eliminate tobacco-related death and disease in the state.

The program that brought to Idaho QuitNet, the most widely used smoking cessation program in the world.

The program that sponsors race car driver John Peterson, bullrider Wiley Petersen and steer wrestling champion Wyatt Smith.

Why Project

Filter?

Big tobacco companies spend $50.6 million every year marketing to Idaho.

187,000 adults in Idaho smoke (16.3%)

15% of high school students in Idaho smoke

61,000 children in Idaho are exposed to second-hand smoke at home.

1,500 die each year from their own smoke.

30,100 children alive today eventually will die from tobacco smoke.

Smoking kills more people in Idaho than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined.

John Peterson started smoking in high school.

He smoked about 15 years and tried several times to quit without help.

He quit for good in 2002 with help from the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare's tobacco cessation program.

He's a committed non-smoker and has other non-smokers sign his racing car's hood.

The Project Filter-sponsored car is a Five Star Ford Fusion.

Here's how quitting smoking benefited John:

After 20 minutes, his blood pressure and pulse rate decreased.

After 8 hours, the carbon monoxide levels in his blood returned to normal.

After one day, the likelihood he'd have a heart attack decreased.

After two days, his nerve endings regenerated and his senses of smell and taste improved.

After two weeks his circulation improved and his lungs worked better.

In the first nine months, his coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decreased.

After a year, his chances of a heart attack were cut in half.

Now, after five years, John's risk of a stroke is the same as a non-smoker's.

After 10 years, his risk of dying from lung cancer will be half that of a continuing smoker.

After 15 years, his risk of coronary heart disease and death will roughly equal that of a lifelong non-smoker.