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Volume
10, Issue 4
November 1, 2009 |
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From the Tobacco Program Unit
Director
The winter edition of our Tobacco newsletter is now ready for your reading enjoyment. It contains a ton of new information, from a recap of tobacco day at the Joint Health Conference, to reports tying health risks to grades and secondhand smoke to heart disease.
Progress continues on many anti-tobacco fronts, from parks in Tacoma to playgrounds in Chehalis, to multi-unit housing complexes all over the state, and to implementation of the new FDA regulations. Plus: GASO is upon us; TRUTH ads are running nationwide; the new EX ads are on the air; and our own Dear Me ads are running in Utah, Arizona, and soon in other states including Ohio.
But the most exciting news from me is my upcoming trip later this month to Africa, to the city of Tunis in Tunisia. I’ll be representing the United States (and Washington State) at a World Health Organization Summit on the formation of tobacco control programs. You can find all of the details in the On the Frontlines story below. I promise to write an extensive recap story for the January issue of this newsletter.
Happy reading.
Terry Reid
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Terry Invited to Travel to Tunisia
"WHO" wants Reid
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Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Director Terry Reid has
been nominated to represent the United States at a worldwide tobacco
meeting – here’s the scoop:
“In recognition of your experience and expertise coordinating
tobacco control in Washington State, you have been nominated by
the World Health Organization to participate in a 2-day global
meeting, to be held in Tunis, Tunisia (Africa) from 13-14
November 2009, focusing on the development of a coordinated
approach to implementing national level tobacco control
strategies.”
The aim of the meeting is to outline a coordinated framework for
building national capacity in each country of every region to
implement the provisions of the World Health Organization. The
global meeting will aim to produce a strategic approach to
tobacco control which will be reflected in a national tobacco
control program development handbook.
Terry promises a follow-up story in the next tobacco newsletter.
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The state's six tobacco prevention and control networks have
contracts in hand and have begun work to address tobacco-related
disparities in their "communities." The six networks are:
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African American - Center for Multicultural Health - Priority
counties: King, Pierce
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Asian American Native Pacific Islander - Washington Asian
Pacific Islander Community Services/Asian Pacific Islander
Coalition Against Tobacco (APICAT) - Priority counties: King,
Pierce, Snohomish
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LGBT - Gay City - Priority counties: King and Pierce
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Latino - Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health
Centers - Priority counties: Franklin, Grant, King, Pierce,
Snohomish, Whatcom, Yakima
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Urban Indian - King, Pierce, Spokane
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Low income (public housing)
- Comprehensive Health Education
Foundation - Priority housing authorities: Grant, Seattle,
Renton, Tacoma, Kitsap, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Whatcom
The goal for these networks is to bring people and resources
together (including county and ESD contractors) to address
tobacco-related disparities in these underserved "communities."
Key projects include building and sustaining the networks,
monitoring and advocating for policy change or compliance with
existing laws, monitoring tobacco industry marketing and
building community resistance to these tactics, building
capacity in community organizations to address tobacco issues,
and evaluate the effectiveness of some of their efforts.
While not all counties will be directly engaged with these
Networks, the lessons learned and materials developed by each
Network will be available to all.
For more information
contact Dave Harrelson at 360-236-3685.
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Healthy Communities Integrated Project Underway |
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The Tobacco Program has teamed up
with other programs (Physical Activity and Nutrition, Diabetes,
Heart Disease and Stroke, Cancer Prevention Unit, and the Office
of Health Promotion) within DOH to work on an integrated project
to address chronic disease prevention. This project is the
Healthy Communities Washington Project, and it is intended to
prevent chronic disease by addressing the primary risk factors
of tobacco use and obesity in local communities. Instead of
focusing on individuals, agencies using this approach will
influence behaviors by changing the policies, environments, and
systems where people live, work and play.
Five counties - Adams, Asotin, Garfield, Grays Harbor and
Pacific - were selected to participate in this project. The work
will happen in two phases, with the first focus on building
internal capacity at the local health department through
training, assessments and action planning. The second year is
geared towards implementing strategies to create healthy
communities. DOH will support this work by providing a “package”
of resources, training, and professional support. Other LHJs and
community organizations not funded by the Department of Health
are welcome and encouraged to use the materials and attend the
workshops as appropriate and when space is available.
For more information contact Carla Huyck at 360-236-3678
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10-28 News Release from Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction
OLYMPIA — Smoking. Drinking more than two cans of soda a day.
Not eating enough fruits and vegetables. All of these pose
health risks.
A new report links those risks to lower grades for students.
“Research Review: School-based Health Interventions and Academic
Achievement,” released this month, is a joint report by the
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Washington
State Department of Health and the Washington State Board of
Health.
“This report contains both bad and good news,” said Randy Dorn,
state superintendent of public instruction. “It’s discouraging
that so many kids live unhealthy lives. But it gives us a link
to student success. It means if we can help them live healthier
lives, they will be more successful students.”
The report is based on data from the 2006 Healthy Youth Survey.
Students who participated in the survey were asked to give their
average grades, which were compared with the number of risk
factors students admitted to.
Results from the research were stark: the more health risks a
student has, the more likely he or she will be at “academic
risk” (reporting an average grade of C, D or F). Specifically,
about 10 percent of those with a single risk factor were at
academic risk. But about 50 percent of students with six health
risk factors were at academic risk, and more than 67 percent of
students with at least nine risk factors were at academic risk.
“We’re learning that health and education are closely connected.
This new report shows that,” said Secretary of Health Mary
Selecky. “When kids get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and
have limited stress, they’re healthier and do better in school.”
Researchers also found that a few single risk factors
dramatically affected student success. More than 50 percent of
students who reported using either cigarettes or marijuana also
reported academic risk, while about 40 percent who reported
either alcohol use or consuming two or more cans of soda per day
also reported academic risk.
Research into academic achievement has shown that students often
do not have equal chances at success. Poverty, racial and ethnic
discrimination, and varied access to information and services
all affect student success. The report shows that the same
factors affect student health. The report also concludes that
health interventions may be one strategy to close the
disparities. It examines a number of research-based
interventions that have shown positive results in affecting both
health and learning outcomes.
“This report reveals a similar pattern between health
disparities and the achievement gap based on race and poverty,”
said Frankie Manning, member of the Washington State Board of
Health. “Addressing the needs of the whole child is key in
narrowing that gap.” The report analyzed 13 risk factors:
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Cigarette smoking
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Alcohol use
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Marijuana use
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Obesity
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Severe asthma
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Not eating breakfast
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Insufficient fruits and vegetables
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Two or more soda pops a day
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Insufficient exercise
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Three or more hours of TV per day
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Feeling unsafe at school
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Depression
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Less than eight hours of sleep per night
The Healthy Youth Survey is given in even years to students in
grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 in public schools. In 2006, about 200,000
students participated.
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Yakima “Call to Action” Recap |
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2009 Joint Conference on
Health-Tobacco Prevention and Control
It was standing room only as about 140 people gathered in the
Yakima Convention Center’s conference hall on the third day of
the 2009 Joint Conference on Health, called Healthy People in
Healthy Places: A Call to Action for Tobacco Prevention 2009.
Featured during this year’s conference were several public
health luminaries and national leaders in tobacco prevention and
control. Terry Reid, Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and
Control (TPC) Unit Manager, in his introductory remarks, set the
tone for presentations urging the audience of community, ESD,
and tribal contractors to action around continued program
efforts statewide.
The first plenary session was presented by
Dr. Stanton Glantz,
Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Tobacco
Control Research and Education, UC San Francisco, who presented
evidence from multiple studies indicating that second hand smoke
(SHS) exposure can produce rapid and substantial effects on the
heart, blood, and vascular systems. Dr. Glantz mentioned a new
Institute of Medicine (IOM) report stating that even small
amounts of SHS can cause heart damage and potentially a heart
attack. Further, exposure to SHS is about 80% as harmful as
being a smoker. Dr. Glantz went on to describe studies
demonstrating how critical smoking bans in public places have
been in helping to reduce the number of hospital admissions for
heart attacks.
Dr. Jeannette Noltenius, Director of the National Latino Tobacco
Control Health Network and Indiana Latino Institute discussed
effective advocacy for policy and systems change. Dr. Noltenius
gave a strong and impassioned presentation about the need to
engage policymakers at all levels in an effort to educate them
about the importance of tobacco control in their communities.
She noted that in order to establish tobacco-free public
policies, broad-based coalitions must be organized to adequately
educate elected officials and other policy makers. Without
support from legislators and other policymakers, she said, state
and local tobacco prevention programs may be challenged by
further funding cuts. She focused on what each person could do
to help local communities take action and to educate local and
state policymakers about the importance of continuing this
important work.
Following Dr. Noltenius was a moderated plenary panel consisting
of state and local partners and stakeholders including Karen
Rutherford of the Wenatchee City Council and Chelan-Douglas
Board of Health; Erin Dziedzic of the American Cancer Society
Action Network; Christopher Zilar of the Spokane Regional Health
District Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and Dr.
Jeanette Noltenius. Moderated by Terry Reid, each panel member
discussed their policy successes and lessons learned. They
provided valuable information about effective policy maker
outreach, and how to engage policymakers.
During lunch, Dr. Stanton Glantz discussed smoking in the
movies. He noted the scientific evidence showing that smoking in
the movies affects tobacco use initiation rates among youth, and
simply smoking in the movies causes smoking among youth and
young adults. Dr. Glantz advocated for the assignment of
stronger ratings for those movies that portray actors smoking.
He also insisted that any movies marketed to children not have
any depictions of smoking. He stressed the need to reduce the
value of American movies as a promotional medium for tobacco
worldwide.
Three concurrent workshops were offered during the afternoon.
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Workshop 1 focused on strategies to close the gap in
tobacco-related health disparities with Sandy Ciske, regional
health officer with Seattle and King County and Matias
Valenzuela, Equity and Social Justice Initiative lead staff also
with Public Health-Seattle and King County.
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Workshop 2 featured the FDA
Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 with
Paul Davis of the Washington State Department of Health.
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Workshop 3 allowed Dr. Noltenius to further expand on her
morning plenary addressing working with policymakers.
All conference PowerPoint presentations and distributed
materials are available at the Washington Healthy Communities
Resource Center Web site at www.whcrc.org.
For more information contact Frances Limtiaco at 360-236-3771
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Institute of Medicine Report on SHS laws |
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Notice from Department of
Health, Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
On October 15th, the Institute of Medicine issued a report
that explored the link of secondhand smoke and heart attacks
– with a special focus on the association of smoking bans
and heart attacks. This was the first such report that
collected all published studies to date and synthesized the
results into a collective, definitive set of conclusions.
The conclusions of the report
were as follows: 1) Secondhand smoke exposure increases the
risk of coronary heart disease, even at low levels of
exposure among nonsmokers 2) Secondhand smoke exposure is
associated specifically with heart attacks among nonsmokers.
3) Smoking bans are associated with a subsequent decrease in
the incidence of heart attacks among nonsmokers.
The report was not able to
conclude the specific size of the effect however.
Notice from Tobacco Free Kids
The Institute of Medicine has released its long-awaited
report concluding that secondhand smoke causes heart
attacks, while smoke-free laws prevent heart attacks and
save lives. The report also finds compelling evidence that
even relatively brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause
heart attacks.
This report presents a terrific opportunity to make the case
for smoke-free laws to the media, policy makers and other
audiences. It demonstrates why states and localities that
have yet to enact comprehensive laws should do so quickly;
why those that still have loopholes in their laws should
close them; why those currently implementing laws should
make sure they are effectively implemented and strongly
enforced; and why states and localities that have passed and
effectively implemented comprehensive laws have done the
right thing to protect health and save lives.
The IOM's materials can be found at:
http://www.iom.edu/en/Reports/2009/Secondhand-Smoke-Exposure-and-Cardiovascular-Effects-Making-Sense-of-the-Evidence.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) materials can be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Smoke-FreeAir/
Notice from CDC
A new report called Secondhand
Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: Making Sense of the
Evidence, provides a comprehensive review of the science on the
relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and acute
coronary events. The report was requested by CDC, but the review
was conducted independently by the Institute of Medicine. Major
conclusions of the report include:
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The evidence is consistent with a causal relationship between
secondhand smoke exposure and acute coronary events, including
acute myocardial infarctions.
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It is biologically plausible for a relatively brief exposure
to secondhand smoke to precipitate an acute coronary event.
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There is a causal relationship between smoke-free laws and
decreases in acute coronary events.
Resources:
The report is available for purchase on the National Academies'
website at http://www.nap.edu/. On the site, the report can be
read and printed, page-by-page, but is not available to print or
download in full. A Report in Brief is also available on the
Academies' site.
At CDC.gov you will find a web feature on the cardiovascular
effects of secondhand smoke exposure. The feature also includes
a link to CDC's media statement on the IOM Report and a link to
CDC's cessation E-cards. www.cdc.gov
CDC's Smoking and Tobacco Use page as well as CDC's Heart
Disease and Stroke Prevention page have additional information
and links to IOM. www.cdc.gov/tobacco or
www.cdc.gov/heartdisease
The Smoking and Tobacco Use page contains an animation that
describes the cardiovascular effects of secondhand smoke
exposure.
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/heart_disease/iom_report/index.htm
Host a web button on your web site or social network profile.
Details are posted at CDC's buttons and badges gallery at
www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/tools/buttonsgallery.html
For more information contact Mike Boysun and 360-236-36711
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Last year, the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program and the
Tobacco Cessation Resource Center launched two innovative online
trainings for providers in Washington State. The 2A and R Brief
Intervention training gives providers the skills and tools
needed to effectively talk to patients about tobacco use. The
Fax Referral training focuses on a quick and easy way to refer
patients to the Washington State Tobacco Quit Line.
We are pleased to announce that both of these trainings have
been accredited for 1.0 Prescribed CME by the American Academy
of Family Physicians. The CME’s are free to all providers in
Washington State. Go to:
2A and R Brief Tobacco Intervention –
www.2AandR.org
Fax Referral Program –
www.faxreferral.org
For more information contact Juliet Thompson at 360-236-3722.
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The local resource pages on
www.quitline.com have been updated from the list provided
annually by Free and Clear. Thank you for your patience! We know
this took longer than in the past because we had a new
contractor working on this assignment for the first time. But
now all is well on the western front.
For more information contact Juliet Thompson at 360-236-3722.
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The American Cancer Society holds
the Great American Smokeout® every year on the third Thursday in
November. This year the Great American Smokeout® will take place
on November 19, 2009. The purpose of the event is to set aside a
day to help smokers quit smoking and quit using tobacco products
for at least one day, with the hope that they will quit
completely.
Not only does the event challenge people to stop using tobacco,
it helps to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking and the
many effective ways available to quit smoking permanently.
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Information from Tobacco Advisory
board of Pierce County
The vision of Metro Parks Tacoma is to “build a healthy
community.” Their mission is to “create healthy opportunities to
play, learn and grow.” Together this vision and mission served
as the foundation for implementation of City of Tacoma Ordinance
No. 27841, prohibiting smoking in all Metro and City of Tacoma
parks, effective November 2, 2009.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and the Tobacco
Advisory Board of Pierce County have been supporting this policy
change since 2004, working with Metro Parks to help create smoke
free venues at Northwest Trek and the Pt. Defiance Zoo. These
were voluntary bans, but they helped set an example that was
accepted positively by the public. In 2007, 71% of residents of
Pierce County supported implementing a smoking ban in parks
(BRFSS 2007).
In 2008 new discussions began between Health Department and
Metro Parks staff on issues such as secondhand smoke in parks,
litter and denormalization of smoking. During these discussions
Metro Parks Board Commissioner Ryan Mellow became convinced that
a smoke free policy would bring Metro Parks Tacoma in line with
their own mission and vision, improve the value of their
facilities and more importantly the quality of the park
experience for the general public. Commissioner Ryan presented
the issue of smoking in parks to the other Metro Parks Board
Commissioners at their annual retreat. He introduced the idea of
a comprehensive smoking ban and why it should be established.
The Board agreed and supported their colleague on moving ahead
to propose a policy change before the appropriate Tacoma City
Council standing committees.
While the policy was being reviewed and considered there was a
healthy public dialogue and discussion. The local news media
helped to create a buzz with point -counterpoint articles and
interviews. Commissioner Ryan Mello in championing this effort
received the fatuous “Schrammy” award from KOMO 4 political
commentator Ken Schram. Ryan was very gracious but not deterred.
In the end the final vote tally by the Tacoma City Council was 6
to 3 approving a comprehensive smoking ban for all Tacoma parks.
The Metro Parks Board of Commissioners and the City Council of
Tacoma are to be applauded for their wisdom and courage in
making Tacoma a more smoke free, healthier and livable
community.
This whole process has been a lesson in perseverance. The
revival of this issue in 2008 by the Metro Parks Board, Health
Department and the Tobacco Advisory Board of Pierce County
completed the process that was started in 2004. The Tobacco
Advisory Board is a community-based coalition open to anyone or
any organization interested in promoting policies and issues
creating more tobacco-free and smoke-free environments. Contact
Bruce Rytkonen at (253) 798-3492 for additional information.
Read all about it at:
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2009/10/the_nightmare_is_over_tacoma_b.php
For more information contact Frances Limtiaco at
360-236-3771.
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Washington’s Native People for
Cancer Control is hosting the Native Tobacco Policy Summit on
February 18-19, 2010 at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center in Seattle. The summit is for American Indian leaders,
tribal health directors and clinic staff, tribal tobacco program
coordinators, advocates and policymakers, and others interested
in working on tobacco policy within American Indian communities.
The summit will provide an overview of the history of tobacco
policy change in Native communities, and offer step by step
guidance on how to adopt policies and address key community
priorities and concerns. DOH, the Chehalis and Yakama Tribes,
and the American Cancer Society are key sponsors for this event.
For more information contact Dave Harrelson at 360-236-3685
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There has been a surge of interest
from condominium owners in being smoke-free. Legal Options for
Condo Owners” was downloaded 1,326 times from the
www.smokefreewashington.com web site in September.
Interest among apartment owners to create no-smoking policies
also remains high. A new report shows that in the
Portland-Vancouver metro area, there has been a 29% increase in
the availability of smoke free apartments over the past three
years. Projecting from metro-area figures provided by the U.S.
Census, there has been an increase of approximately 13,000
rental units covered by a no-smoking policy since the original
study. You can view the report at
http://smokefreeoregon.com/housing/whats_new/index.php
For more information contact Paul Davis at 360-236-3642
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One of the “Dear Me” tobacco
cessation ads features a mother, Shanin, reading a letter she
wrote to herself. In it she very emotionally laments that she
couldn’t go on her daughter’s school field trip to Mt. St.
Helens because she wouldn’t be allowed to smoke.
Her daughter, Kelsey, tried for a long time to get her mother to
stop smoking, and she encouraged her mom to be a part of the
“Dear Me” campaign. And it was a smiling Kelsey who sent us a
postcard - from the observation deck at Mt. St. Helens! It read:
“My mom and me at Mt. St. Helens. We had a great time! Thank you
everybody!”
- from Kelsey
Later on we received a note from Shanin:
I'm so glad you all enjoyed the photo postcard. We thought you
might - we had a great day at the mountain. By the way I had
only two slips and one relapse but did not give up on stopping
smoking - been doing well – try, try again - it seems to be
working. Thanks again so much.
- Shanin
You can view all of the “Dear Me” ads at
www.quitline.com.
For more information contact Scott Schoengarth at 360-236-3634.n
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The Utah tobacco prevention program
is currently running Washington’s Dear Me tobacco cessation
television ads in their state, and the ads will begin running in
Arizona in December. And other states - including Maine,
Alabama, New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois and Missouri – have
also inquired and are considering running the spots.
The seven ads have not been part of a paid media campaign in
Washington because of budget cuts that hit the same time as the
production of the ads was being completed. Some have run as PSAs
on various local cable channels, government channels, and even
military channels, and on newscasts after the recent adult
smoking news release. The program has circulated many newsletter
articles statewide to let people know the ads can be viewed at
www.quitline.com.
The campaign objective is to increase the number of quit
attempts, or thinking of quitting, among the target audience of
25-44 year old low income working poor. Low-income adults are
twice as likely to smoke as the general population, with a
current smoking rate of 31 percent compared to the overall rate
of 15.3 percent.
For more information contact Scott Schoengarth at 360-236-3634.
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Our Views: Give State Program
Credit for Drop in Smoking
September 4, 2009 – The Chronicle
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/09/04/opinion/our_views/doc4aa1ed7ace2fc825781948.txt
Editorial
We either are, or know people who just can’t quit the addiction
of smoking cigarettes.
It is a dastardly habit, costing about $7 for a 20-pack. Smokers
stink of the cigs. Serious health problems are almost sure to
come.
In rural areas and communities with lower standards of living
and lower education levels, which describe many parts of Lewis
County, the percentage of the population that smokes is higher
than more urban areas. About 31 percent of people in the low
income category across the state smoke, which is three times
higher compared to those with higher incomes.
Lewis County has suffered as one of the top per-capita counties
for smoking, including for pregnant women, when compared to the
rest of the state. Disturbing smoking statistics include 2.3
percent of sixth graders in Lewis County smoke; rising to 8.6
percent for eighth graders; 16.3 percent for 10th graders; and
22 percent for 18 year olds. About 21.9 percent of pregnant
women in Lewis County smoke, resulting in about 190 babies born
each year to women who smoked during their pregnancy.
While Lewis County’s rates are above the state average, recent
statistics are encouraging, as reported on the front page of The
Chronicle yesterday. In 2004 a survey revealed 24 percent of the
people of Lewis County smoke. That has dropped down to 16.3
percent for 2008. The state has also seen a dramatic drop, from
22.4 percent in 1999 down to its current rate of 15.3 percent.
That is important for everybody, smokers and nonsmokers alike,
as the decline in smoking should save almost $3 billion for the
state in future health care costs. Much of the credit for the
drop in smoking is being given to the state’s Tobacco Prevention
and Control Program, which started in 2000. The program took a
leap forward nine years ago when it received money out of a fund
created from a lawsuit settlement with big tobacco companies.
The program is comprehensive, targeting youth before they smoke,
helping smokers quit, reducing second-hand smoke and putting an
emphasis on high-risk groups. The result: smoking has been cut
in half among Washington state kids, and by 30 percent in
adults. Not all can be credited to the program. Changing social
norms, a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, and rising
costs per cig also contribute. But the declining numbers are
large enough, and the timing coincides with the ramped up
effort, to give causal credit to the state program.
We often criticize the rise in government spending and programs.
In this case, funding a program (and using big tobacco money to
do it) that targets one of the most destructive health habits is
good government.
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Chehalis Girl Scout Troop 4005
worked diligently the past year on earning their Gold Award
(equivalent to the Eagle Scout Award for boys). One step
involved identifying a problem in their community and coming up
with a solution to fix it.
They decided to tackle a project that focused on keeping their
city parks clean and fun while respecting everyone’s personal
rights and choices. They created permanent courtesy signs that
ask people to smoke away from play structures.
On August 28 there was a short ceremony at Recreation Park
"Penny Playground" in Chehalis thanking the Girl Scouts for
their planning efforts. They also unveiled the first new sign.
The signs read in part: "Play Fair Clean the Air – thank you for
not smoking near the play structure – always dispose of trash in
available containers."
A representative of the Governor’s Office spoke in front of
dozens of spectators, local media, and dignitaries. The park is
located at Exit 76 off Interstate-5, on 13th Street across from
the Chehalis swimming pool.
Effective June 22, 2010, the new Federal Drug Administration
Tobacco Law will forbid outdoor advertising of tobacco products
within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, or playgrounds.
For more information contact Scott Schoengarth at ext. 3634.
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A new study in the American Journal
of Public Health shows that an effort to reach youth in rural
and low population communities around the country with truth®
anti-smoking messages via broadcast television was highly
effective in raising campaign awareness - providing a hopeful
platform to see decreased levels of smoking initiation given
truth®'s effectiveness.
American Legacy Foundation® researchers used local broadcast
television that supplemented a national cable television buy to
test the application of truth® in rural and surrounding smaller
communities. The study assessed results from eight different
markets - smaller communities that typically have less exposure
to the national campaign - and surveyed more than 3,500 teens.
The "classic" truth® ads 'Body Bags' and '1200' were the spots
that played in the rural areas. Some findings found that more
than 70% of youths in the treatment markets were aware of the
campaign after the increased advertising, compared to 40% before
the increased advertising and confirmed awareness of truth®
increased from 40% to 71% among youth in treatment markets,
while not shifting significantly in comparison markets where
advertising did not increase
For more information contact Scott Schoengarth at ext. 3634.
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Starting in November and coinciding
with Lung Cancer Awareness Month - the national quit smoking
campaign, EX®, will debut the second phase of its advertising
and promotions designed to help smokers "re-learn" life without
cigarettes. Research has shown that though more than 70 percent
of smokers want to quit, only about 5 percent of smokers are
able to quit successfully.
The EX campaign will begin airing on radio and cable television
networks as well as online, in print and through ambient/out of
home channels. EX is a national quit smoking campaign, sponsored
by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation, a two-year old
collaborative of state and national public health groups –
including Washington’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program -
spearheaded by Legacy. EX provides evidence-based tools to help
smokers quit, including information that can help them prepare
for a quit attempt by:
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"Re-learning" their thinking on the behavioral aspects of
smoking and how different smoking triggers can be overcome with
practice and preparation.
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"Re-learning" their knowledge of addiction and how
medications can increase their chances for quitting success
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"Re-learning" their ideas of how support from friends and
family members can play a critical role in quitting.
The ads made their first “unofficial” visit to the airwaves
during the American League baseball play-offs and the World
Series.
For more information contact Scott Schoengarth at ext. 3634.
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This summer the main promotion of
the tobacco cessation Web site, www.quitline.com, was through
our grassroots efforts to market the "Dear Me" campaign -
through the BRFSS news release, newsletter stories sent to
publications statewide, media coverage, PSAs, bus signage,
magazine wraps, viral marketing, distributing copies of the ad
DVDs to cable and local TV and radio stations and networks
statewide, and by word of mouth. Through all of this, visits to
the site have remained steady with just a slight dip in
September. Total site visits in 2008 were 136,045 for a monthly
average of 11,337. Through nine months of 2009 there have been
115,918 visits for an average of 12,880 per month.
For more information contact Juliet Thompson at ext. 3722.
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Visits to the revamped secondhand
smoke Web site –
www.smokefreewashington.com – have continued to
increase each month, starting with October ’08 at 1,716, and
finally reaching 6,175 in September ’09. The average number of
visits for the last 12 months is 4,243. During this time there
has been a surge of interest from condominium owners in going
smoke-free. “Legal Options for Condo Owners” was downloaded
1,326 times from the Web site in September.
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For NoStankYou 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 we
had an average of over 53,000 Web site visits per month. But the
NoStankYou TV and radio ads stopped running in May 2009. Since
then the TOTAL visits, from May 11 through October 27, have
dropped to 65,211. Average daily visits are down to 384.
However, average time on the site is still a robust seven
minutes.
In early November a revamped Web site will be revealed, removing
references to earning shirts and being in TV commercials, and
instead highlighting information about the dangers of tobacco
use. Word of the revised site will be spread though the existing
65,000+ MOB e-mail membership, school newspapers and new viral
methods of messaging. However, no TV or radio ads are currently
scheduled.
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Copy of letter to Federal Drug Administration (FDA) from Tobacco Free Kids, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and American Legacy Foundation – ensuring that the FDA is aware of how tobacco manufacturers have responded to descriptor bans in other countries, and encouraging the FDA to take steps to ensure that the intent of the ban – to stop manufacturers from misleading consumers – is met.
Letter to Food
and Drug Administration (PDF 120 KB)
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Past issues:
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