Or Butts „ ARRANGE Follow-Up Counseling

“SMOKING CESSATION…

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

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

TAKE ACTION: PROTECT the No ifs… ands… 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 ARRANGE follow-up counseling. It will be the Your health professional can help you quit. difference between quitting and not quitting for many Talking with a professional increases patients. 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 Follow-up counseling increases the likelihood of tobacco control advocate! 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

1 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 These laws protect the health of workers, regardless campaigns have resulted in the promotion of of work setting. tobacco-free health around the globe. 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 Web sites are available with guidelines on how to promote advocacy examples as well as possible actions local laws in your community. One such site is to create change in your own community. 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 The FCTC is a global treaty that bans tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, and sets by the U.S. Constitution. 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 Go to the American Cancer Society’s web site and send an countries… electronic letter to the president and to your senators but not the United States. requesting they pass the Global Health Treaty: http://lungaction.org/campaign/RatifyFCTC

PROTECTING the ENVIRONMENT: PROTECTING the ENVIRONMENT: LITTERING 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 More than 4.5 trillion cigarettes are Beautiful. For more information about cigarette butt litter, visit littered worldwide each year. www.longwood.edu/cleanva/cigarettelitterhome.html.

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

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

The toxic residue in cigarette filters is An open car window is not an ashtray. damaging to the environment. Tossing a burning cigarette onto the road is a misdemeanor and a citable offense in many states. A number of communities have implemented smoke-free Fines of up to $1,000 can be parks and beaches, including Malibu and Redondo, CA; imposed. Eastchester, NY; and Sharon, ME. Recently the California Highway Action steps Patrol created a new toll-free number to call to report fellow Empower the public to reduce littering of cigarette butts. Host a commuters who toss cigarette Action steps beach or park cleanup. For information about hosting a “Hold butts out the window. onto your Butt” beach or park cleanup in your community, visit Check with local officials to see if existing laws in your community www.earthresource.org. 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 In patient waiting areas, provide newspapers and companies and brands: 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 Conscientious consuming: boycott products Sauces and Pizzas, Shake ‘N Bake, Altoids, Stove Top Stuffing, Breyers, produced by tobacco companies. Tombstone Pizza, South Beach Frozen Dinners and Snacks. 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.

3 OTHER OPPORTUNITIES to GET OTHER TOBACCO CONTROL INVOLVED… ADVOCATES

Clinicians have an outstanding opportunity to Visit these national health organization web sites expand their role in wellness education: for other ideas on getting involved:

Prevention activity American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org Get involved in tobacco use education and prevention American Lung Association: www.lungusa.org

Community advocacy American Heart Association: www.americanheart.org Join a speakers’ bureau and give talks at schools and American Legacy Foundation: www.americanlegacy.org to community and youth groups Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: www.tobaccofreekids.org Promote smoke-free homes, cars, workplaces, and communities

GET INVOLVED! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

— Margaret Mead