Or Butts ARRANGE Follow-Up Counseling

“SMOKING CESSATION…

represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.”

HOW to GET INVOLVED

Antonio C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., former U.S. Surgeon General

No ifs… ands…

TAKE ACTION: PROTECT the HEALTH of YOUR PATIENTS

Make it a habit: ASK your patients whether they use tobacco.

When appropriate, ADVISE tobacco users to quit. ASSESS their willingness, or readiness, to quit. Always ASSIST your patients with the quitting process.

or BUTTs

Your health professional can help you quit.

ARRANGE follow-up counseling. It will be the difference between quitting and not quitting for many patients.

Talking with a professional increases smokers’ chances of quitting.

REMEMBER…

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

Comprehensive counseling from a clinician can double patients’ likelihood of quitting

You can become a tobacco control advocate!

Follow-up counseling increases the likelihood of success

Between 4 and 7 contacts is best, but …

But why should you?

Even one brief contact can have significant impact
Reassess readiness to quit at every contact

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WHAT’S BEING DONE, and HOW CAN YOU HELP?

SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE LAWS

More and more states and countries are adopting smoke-free workplace laws.

In recent years, a number of advocacy campaigns have resulted in the promotion of tobacco-free health around the globe.

These laws protect the health of workers, regardless of work setting.

Action steps

If your state has not enacted a smoke-free workplace law, you can work locally to enact city or county laws.

The following slides present successful advocacy examples as well as possible actions to create change in your own community.

Web sites are available with guidelines on how to promote local laws in your community. One such site is

www.no-smoke.org/document.php?id=273.

FRAMEWORK CONVENTION on

TOBACCO CONTROL (FCTC)

RATIFICATION of the FCTC

Despite signing the treaty in May 2004, President Bush has yet to send it to the U.S. Senate for ratification, as required by the U.S. Constitution.

The FCTC is a global treaty that bans tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, and sets international standards to prevent the tobacco industry from meddling in health policies.

Action steps

Urge the United States to ratify the FCTC.

The treaty, which was initiated by the World Health Organization, has been ratified by more than 90 countries…

Go to the American Cancer Society’s web site and send an electronic letter to the president and to your senators requesting they pass the Global Health Treaty:

but not the United States.

http://lungaction.org/campaign/RatifyFCTC

PROTECTING the ENVIRONMENT: LITTERING
PROTECTING the ENVIRONMENT: LITTERING, cont’d

Cigarette butts are litter. Littering is illegal.

Litter harms people, animals, the places where animals live, and our economy.

Action steps

Support organizations that are developing educational efforts on this issue, including The Ocean Conservancy and Keep America Beautiful. For more information about cigarette butt litter, visit

www.longwood.edu/cleanva/cigarettelitterhome.html.

More than 4.5 trillion cigarettes are littered worldwide each year.

Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate, not cotton, and can take decades to degrade.

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PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT: SMOKE-FREE PARKS and BEACHES
PROTECTING the ENVIRONMENT: OUR ROADWAYS

An open car window is not an ashtray.

The toxic residue in cigarette filters is damaging to the environment.

Tossing a burning cigarette onto the road is a misdemeanor and a citable offense in many states. Fines of up to $1,000 can be imposed.

A number of communities have implemented smoke-free

parks and beaches, including Malibu and Redondo, CA;

Eastchester, NY; and Sharon, ME.

Recently the California Highway Patrol created a new toll-free number to call to report fellow commuters who toss cigarette

Action steps

Empower the public to reduce littering of cigarette butts. Host a beach or park cleanup. For information about hosting a “Hold onto your Butt” beach or park cleanup in your community, visit

www.earthresource.org.

Action steps

butts out the window.

Check with local officials to see if existing laws in your community prohibit the tossing of butts onto your roadways and elsewhere.

“QUICK” ACTION THAT

MAKES a DIFFERENCE

SAMPLE NONTOBACCO ITEMS

Here are just a few of the Philip Morris nontobacco companies and brands:
In patient waiting areas, provide newspapers and magazines that do not advertise tobacco products.

Miller Brewing Brands: Miller Geniune Draft, Miller Lite, Lowenbrau, Red Dog, Leinenkugel’s, Icehouse, Hamm’s, Henry Weinhart’s.

Consider socially responsible investing (disinvest in tobacco companies) www.socialinvest.org.

Kraft Foods Brands: Miracle Whip, Cool Whip, Jell-O, Kool-Aid, Seven Seas, Country Time, Taco Bell Home Originals, Baker’s Baking Products, Maxwell House Coffee, Sanka, Cool Whip, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, DiGiorno Italian Sauces and Pizzas, Shake ‘N Bake, Altoids, Stove Top Stuffing, Breyers, Tombstone Pizza, South Beach Frozen Dinners and Snacks.

Conscientious consuming: boycott products produced by tobacco companies.

Post Cereals: Alpha-Bits, Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, Pebbles, Toasties, etc.

Oscar Meyer products

Louis Rich products

“QUICK” ACTION THAT MAKES a DIFFERENCE

(cont’d)

End support of politicians who receive contributions from tobacco companies

www.opensecrets.org/pubs/tobaccotally.htm.

Support pharmacies that do not sell tobacco. Sign a petition in support of tobacco-free pharmacies at

http://rxforchange.ucsf.edu.

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OTHER TOBACCO CONTROL ADVOCATES
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES to GET INVOLVED…