EDGEWOOD — Most smokers are concerned about protecting children from secondhand smoke, the Northern Kentucky Health Department says, citing a new survey.

        The survey was done after a series of ads on the dangers of secondhand smoke earlier this year led by the health department and promoted by the Tobacco Prevention Coalition of Northern Kentucky.

        “I think one of the most important findings of this study is that people who smoke are concerned about protecting their children from secondhand smoke,” said Sue Roth, chair of the coalition, which includes schools, national, state and local health organizations.

        Kentucky , one of the nation's leading tobacco-producing states, has the nation's highest smoking rate, with 30.5 percent of its adult population smoking. . It also has the second second-lowest cigarette tax in the nation — unchanged since 1970 — at 3 cents per pack.

        The three advertisements, which ran in January and February, focused on thoughts of individual family members. The telephone survey of 390 randomly selected adult smokers indicated that strong majorities felt it was very important to protect children from secondhand smoke and that they were committed to protecting children, the department said .

        The survey, conducted by the Center for Prevention Studies at University of Cincinnati, also indicated that most had seen or heard the ads.

        The $72,400 campaign was funded from the $251,000 in tobacco settlement money the health department received in 2001 for its tobacco prevention and control program. The ads ran on TV, radio, buses, bus shelters, pamphlets and brochures.

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