Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States.

 

Smoking during pregnancy can cause stillbirth, low birthweight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other serious pregnancy complications.

 

Smokeless tobacco has been directly linked to cancer of the mouth, pharynx (throat) and larynx (voice box). It can also cause cancer of the esophagus, gum disease and tooth loss.

 

The Cessation Program’s goal is to address these issues as well as educate users on the dangers of all forms of tobacco, and to provide successful ways to quit including using the Statewide Tobacco Cessation Quitline.   

 

The WV Tobacco Quitline, administered by beBetter Networks, www.bebetter.net, has been in operation since July 2000, and has received over 192,000 calls and enrolled more than 43,000 individuals.

 

The Tobacco-Free Pregnancy Initiative: 

The purpose of the tobacco free pregnancy initiative is to educate women of child-bearing age as well as those who are pregnant on the dangers of using tobacco. Also, to educate every healthcare provider on the urgent need for face-to-face tobacco cessation counseling.

 

Recent studies show a 26.7% smoking rate among pregnant women in West Virginia. In an effort to address this crisis, the Tobacco Cessation Program is funding several projects. The Tobacco Free for Baby and Me Program administered by CAMC-Women’s and Children’s Hospital is now in its second year of providing tobacco cessation counseling through its high-risk OB clinic. The DHHR Office of Maternal Child and Family Health offers tobacco counseling during in-home visits through the Right from the Start network. The Day One Project offered by the WV Hospital Association is providing education on the dangers of second-hand smoke to new mothers and their families after the child is born. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Office of Nutrition Services is partnering with DTP to distribute educational materials to those women who receive services through the 55 clinics throughout WV.    Learn more about the Tobacco-Free Pregnancy Initiative.

 

 

New in FY 2009! 

The Cessation Program has funded two projects to address the  Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) population in WV.  The Initiative will focus on  special issues relating to  LGBT tobacco users in WV.

 

The African American Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Initiative will focus on tobacco use and cessation in the African American communities in WV. The Cessation Program is funding four projects throughout the state to focus on the special issues of African Americans and tobacco use.

 

The Kaiser Permanente Three Hour Quit Tobacco Workshop will be offered through our Regional Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Network.  This is a three hour workshop developed by HMO Kaiser Permanente  to help workshop participants feel more prepared and confident about quitting smoking and other tobacco products.  Please contact the Regional Coordinator in your specific county for more information. 

 

Other Programs/Projects:

Healthcare Provider Training: Administered by Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, which began offering free training on the AHRQ guidelines in January 2007, with a focus on health-care provider delivered face-to-face tobacco cessation counseling for women of child bearing age. Go to www.wvquitline.com and click on Provider Info to access training locations and dates.    The West Virginia Hospital Association, through the Tobacco-Free Hospital Initiative, is working with member hospitals to assess current tobacco policies, identify needs and share information, resources and technical assistance to forward this initiative. The WVHA encourages all West Virginia hospitals to work toward tobacco-free campuses.
The Save Face-Stop Spit Tobacco Program is an education program overseen by the WVU School of Dentistry which addresses the high rate of spit tobacco use in West Virginia. Armed with spit specific television and radio ads along with help from our Regional Networks we are diligently working to reduce the spit tobacco use rate in WV.
In collaboration with our Save Face Program we also have a military initiative to address spit tobacco, 'ABOUT FACE'. This program is reaching out to veterans, active military and the WV National Guard andtheir families. 'ABOUT FACE' will drill-down into a highly-concentrated problem area for the state of West Virginia. Up to 70% of West Virginia’s military families have at least one member that uses spit tobacco. Learn more about the 'ABOUT FACE' program.

Davis Briles is a survivor of cancer of the throat. His cancer was directly caused by tobacco use. David starred in several commercials for the DTP and his passion and commitment to educating others about the dangers of tobacco use have become a real asset to the Cessation Program. The DTP offers technical assistance to David as he travels to tell his story. For more information about David Briles and his tobacco prevention efforts visit www.DavidBriles.com .

 

Other partners involved in our fight include the West Virginia Asthma Prevention and Education Program, the West Virginia Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and the American Lung Association who administers Freedom from Smoking Facilitator Training.

 

The Tobacco Cessation Program is fortunate to have a large statewide network of partners, and many of these are an integral part of the Cessation Advisory Committee which gives counsel to the Cessation Program. If you would like to join us please contact Kathy Danberry, Cessation Program Manager, kathydanberry@wvdhhr.org.

 

With the valuable assistance of all of our  partners,  the Tobacco Cessation Program  is able to discover new and innovative ways to reach   tobacco using West Virginians.