Almost 40 years later, the businessman has finally quit the habit cold turkey and is warning others to quit or never start.

He is part of a Utah Department of Health media campaign to target Latinos and other populations. According to a new report card, Utah has the lowest smoking rates in the country, but minorities continue to surpass Caucasians, information from the health department shows.

The American Lung Association released its nationwide grades on Tuesday, gathering data in four areas: tobacco control and prevention spending, smoke-free air, cigarette taxes and youth access to tobacco products.

In the past year, Utah has improved some, but the report says much more needs to be done.

"I don't think the report accurately reflects what we're doing in Utah," said Lena Dibble of the state's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

Among the highlights: The lung association praised Utah lawmakers for strengthening smoke-free air laws by prohibiting smoking in almost all nonpublic workplaces, bars and private clubs. The law will be phased in, making Utah smoke-free by Jan. 1, 2009.

Utah got a D when it comes to the state's 69.5-cent cigarette tax.

"Some states have cigarette taxes that are $2 or above," said Craig Cutright, director for the American Lung Association of Utah. "In the future, we need to increase the sales tax because that does reduce the rates, especially with youth because they can't afford it."

Tobacco control efforts saw some advances, the report said, although the state received an F in that category for the second year in a row. The association credited media campaigns, such as the minority one Distel is involved in, but criticized the Legislature for designating only about half of the amount of tobacco control funding recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dibble said the health department decided to target Latinos because there are more established channels to reach them and there are more of them than other minorities.

The lung association report found that 11.5 percent of Utah adults and 7.4 percent of adolescents smoke, but it is not broken down by different populations. State data from 2005, the most recent available with race statistics, show that 11.7 percent of all Utah adults smoked, but the rate was 12.3 percent for Latinos, 22.9 percent for blacks and 19.7 percent for American Indians and Alaska natives.

On Spanish-speaking radio and television stations and in print publications, Distel and three other people tell their stories.

"Children, don't start. Simply do not start. And adults, quit," Distel said.

The health department is spending $9.7 million on its anti-smoking campaign. The plans call for creating coalitions of anti-tobacco advocates, educating community leaders about tobacco, reducing racial disparities and conducting tobacco prevention and cessation activities.

"We want to get to people before they start using tobacco, obviously," Dibble said. "But once someone is addicted, there are still many incentives to quit, including saving money and getting healthier. The department wants Latinos to know we're ready to help whenever they're ready to quit."

The campaign debuted in such outlets as Telemundo, Univision, Bustos Radio and Mundo Hispano in mid-November. The Spanish-language commercials encourage viewers to call the Spanish Quit Line (1-877-629-1585) to get help giving up tobacco.

chamilton@sltrib.com

Tobacco kills

Each year,438,000 people die of tobacco-related illnesses in the United States, costing the economy $167 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity.

Source: American Lung Association