U.S. state tobacco control programs have been associated with both temporal increases in smoking cessation rates in young adults and temporal declines in tobacco-related chronic diseases, but mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease apparently has not been studied. Annual percent change (APC) (1990-2005) in age standardized mortality rate at ages 35-64 and 65+ years from this cause was analyzed for California (which started a comprehensive tobacco control program in 1989), the "U.S. exclusive of California," New Jersey and New York (which had relatively high cigarette prices in the 1990s), and a group of six southern tobacco-growing states (which had limited tobacco control efforts and low cigarette prices in the 1990s). Declines in mortality rates from 1990-2005 for age 35-64 were larger and statistically significant in California (annual % change -1.6%) and New Jersey-New York (annual % change -1.8%), while declines the "U.S. exclusive of California" (annual % change -0.5%) and in six southern tobacco-growing states (annual % change -0.3%). Declines in mortality at age 65+ years were small or nonexistent. The geographic differences in mortality for age 35-64 years after 1990 were not a continuation of earlier trends (in 1980-89), and may be related to differences in tobacco control efforts. This suggests that states should increase their tobacco-control efforts, to reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in the entire U.S.

• N01-PC-35133/PC/NCI NIH HHS/United States