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of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.

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Last updated 9/22/2004

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NEW STUDY SHOWS STATE ANTI-TOBACCO ADS REDUCE YOUTH SMOKING AND SHOULD SPUR STATES TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR TOBACCO PREVENTION

"A new peer-reviewed study published in the July issue of the journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine provides compelling new evidence that state-sponsored anti-tobacco advertising works to prevent kids from smoking and change their attitudes toward tobacco. This rigorously conducted study involved more than 51,000 students in the 75 largest U.S. media markets. It found that youth exposed to state anti-tobacco ads are less likely to smoke, think they will smoke in the future or believe their friends smoke and are more likely to perceive that smoking is addictive and harmful.

"This growing evidence that tobacco prevention programs work, together with the fact that states are collecting record amounts of tobacco-generated revenue, makes it inexcusable that so few states are adequately funding tobacco prevention programs. Currently only three states - Maine, Delaware and Mississippi - fund tobacco prevention programs at minimum levels recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Gov. Haley Barbour has been seeking to eliminate funding for Mississippi's highly successful program. Over the past three years, states have cut funding for tobacco prevention by 28 percent and in fiscal year 2005 spent less than a third of what the CDC recommends (the CDC recommends minimum annual spending of $1.6 billion for the states combined, while the states planned to spend only $538 million). State spending on tobacco prevention amounted to less than three percent of the record $20 billion in revenue states collected from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes. It is only right that states spend more of their tobacco money on programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. We know these programs work and states have plenty of tobacco money revenue to get the job done. There is no excuse for their failure to do more.

"The CDC recommends that each state implement a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program that includes public awareness media campaigns, school and community education programs, enforcement of laws regarding tobacco sales to minors, and programs to help smokers quit. The CDC funding guidelines for each state are based on several factors, including demographic data and rates of tobacco use. The CDC also recommends that the states implement these programs in conjunction with other scientifically proven measures to reduce tobacco use, including high tobacco taxes and smoke-free workplace laws.

"The new study used Nielsen television ratings data to measure the exposure of 12-17 year olds to anti-tobacco advertising in the 75 largest media markets. Researchers merged this information with data from the government's annual Monitoring the Future survey, which measures youth smoking rates and attitudes. They found that students from media markets with higher exposure to state-sponsored anti-tobacco ads were significantly less likely to have smoked in the past 30 days than students from markets with no or lower exposure. Additionally, students who had greater exposure to state-sponsored anti-tobacco ads were significantly less likely to report that their friends were smokers, were more likely to perceive the harms of smoking, and were more likely to report that they definitely would not be smoking in five years.

"The new study is consistent with the success of states with well-funded tobacco prevention programs. Maine, with the nation's best-funded tobacco prevention program, reduced smoking by 48 percent among high school students and 59 percent among middle school students between 1997, when it launched its tobacco prevention program, and 2003. Studies show California's pioneering program, started in 1990, has helped save tens of thousands of lives by reducing smoking-caused heart disease, lung cancer and other diseases. Studies also show California and Massachusetts, before recent cuts in their programs, have saved as much as $3 in smoking-caused health costs for every dollar spent on tobacco prevention.

"Tobacco use remains the nation's leading preventable cause of death, killing more than 400,000 people every year and costing the nation more than $160 billion a year in health care costs and lost productivity. While our nation has reduced high school smoking rates by 40 percent since 1997, 22 percent of high school students still smoke, and another 2,000 kids become regular smokers every day. The evidence is clear that anti-smoking advertising campaigns and other tobacco prevention measures work to reduce smoking, save lives and save money. What's needed is the political will to enact these proven solutions."

Source: U.S. Newswire, Date: 2005-07-05 Author: Statement Of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids, 202-296-5469 URL: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=49913

ID: 201173

 At home in West Virginia
The new data on spit tobacco users and our phenomenal quit rate continues to generate a lot of interest. Our ongoing program evaluation (of 435 self reported surveys) indicates that 36 percent of Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) participants quit and 32 percent report a reduction in tobacco consumption. (Compared to other programs which only achieve a 12.63 percent quit rate) last school year. Of the surveys evaluated this year 75 percent had the added question regarding spit tobacco use 14.6 percent of participants were spit tobacco users. Among spit tobacco users 41 percent quit and 12 percent reduced their use.  

The Alternative to Suspension (ATS) Program is offered as an option to students who face suspension for violating a school’s tobacco use policy.  Although this program is designed solely as an educational program the desire to quit by teens is demonstrated in the surveys received over the last school year. 21 percent of participants quit and 22 percent reduced their use. When we analyzed the spit tobacco users we found that 7 percent of spit tobacco users quit and 12 percent reduced their use.

From the point of view of the 151 students who actually wrote comments on their evaluations the predominant barrier was that the program was too short and that it took their lunch hour. According to the facilitators the primary barriers were scheduling, not enough session time and lack of family support i.e. parents providing tobacco. Three schools are still using N-O-T as a punitive program.

I would like to congratulate all facilitators that have provided N-O-T & ATS programs in their schools this school year.

SNUFF, CHEW TOBACCO RAISE HEART DEATH RISK

Subtitle: Study suggests oral cancer not the only threat to users' health

Besides raising the risk of oral cancer, smokeless tobacco -- also known as snuff, dip or chewing tobacco -- appears to boost the odds male users will die from heart disease, according to the largest study of its kind ever conducted.

The findings contradict earlier research, finding instead that people who chew or "dip" tobacco are 20 percent more likely to be killed by a heart attack or stroke than nonusers.

It isn't clear why smokeless tobacco might contribute to cardiovascular problems, and the study isn't the final word on the issue, said co-author Jane Henley, an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society. Even so, the research, released this month in the journal Cancer Causes and Control, should give users another reason to kick their habit, she said.

Source: HealthDay [HealthScout] Date: 2005-06-24 Author: Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter, 959-1972 URL: http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=526450 ID: 200198

TOBACCO CONTROL ON WWW.LUNGUSA.ORG

• TAKE ACTION: Show Your Support for Smokefree Communities

• Updated Lung Disease Reports The Latest Trends in Asthma, COPD, and Lung Cancer

• American Lung Association Report Shows that States Surpass Federal Government in Protecting Children from Tobacco

• Freedom From Smoking(R) Online - web-based, smoking cessation support

Dear Friend of the American Lung Association,

One out of every two people who open this email are breathing polluted air.  That could be you.

Find out the State of the Air in your area by typing your zip code:

 REMINDERS

Don’t forget to order your student journals at least one week before your program is scheduled to start. You can place your journal order online at the same time you request your $50 mini-grant!

Another way of getting incentives is community donations. Explain to local businesses that you are trying to help teens stop smoking, and you will get anything from pizza to sodas donated. This is an excellent way of forming education/community partnerships.

 STIPENDS

The West Virginia Department of Education’s continued support of the N-O-T program is allowing us to once again provide the $250 stipend for N-O-T classes and $100 stipends for ATS classes. Please remember that stipends are only awarded after all evaluation materials have been returned, unlike the $50 mini-grants that are provided before you begin your sessions.

 Incentives   

Mini-Grants

$50 mini-grants are available to get your groups started.  The mini-grant can be used to purchase pencils, stress balls and most importantly, food!  We have heard many times, “If you feed them, they will come!”  Applying for the mini-grant is easy click HERE. 

 N-O-T Stipends

Another positive incentive are the $250 stipends, which are available for facilitators after all evaluation materials have been returned to ALAWV.

Student Journals

Program expenses are kept to a minimum since we provide all required handouts for students in this “journal.” Blank pages are provided for the students to write in.

  ATS Stipends

Thanks to a generous grant from the Department of Education Office Of Healthy schools we now have $100 stipends available for facilitators who use the ATS program in their schools.

You can find all these resources and more at our web site click here à N-O-T

Free Technical Assistance! Points of contacts are:

Tony Richards, Program Manager

Not On Tobacco (N-O-T)

American Lung Association of West Virginia

415 Dickinson Street, PO Box 3980

Charleston, WV 25339-3980

(304) 342-6600; 1-800-LUNG-USA

tony@alawv.org / www.alawv.org

Regional Tobacco Prevention Specialist

The RESA Tobacco Prevention Program serves as the regional liaison with the school districts to provide training, technical assistance, and staff development to teachers and staff in the areas of tobacco prevention, education and cessation. Available programs include Life Skills Training, Raze/TATU (Teens Against Tobacco) N-O-T (Not On Tobacco-a research-based cessation program for teens), related youth programs which include tobacco prevention initiatives, tobacco policy considerations and community tobacco prevention coalitions and groups. The Tobacco Prevention Specialist can assist with developing alternatives to suspension programs, youth empowerment and prevention activities. The primary focus is to provide training and technical assistance on any implementation activities as well as provide assistance to County Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinators.