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Tobacco Prevention

Central District Health Department is working to reduce the number of tobaco-related deaths in Idaho through four main tobacco prevention and control goals.

Program Goals:

  • Prevent initiation of tobacco use among youth
  • Promote tobacco cessation among adults and youth
  • Eliminate exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
  • Identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities

The health district tobacco prevention and control program works with Idaho Project Filter to raise awareness utilizing counter-marketing strategies, healthcare provider education, youth-based programs, policy changes, and partnerships with local coalitions and community groups that address tobacco issues.

National & Worldwide Tobacco Awareness Observances or Events

  • Kick Butts Day:
    Kick Butts Day, sponsored by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, is a national day of activism that empowers youth to speak up and take action against Big Tobacco at more than 2,000 events from coast to coast.
  • World No Tobacco Day:
    On May 31st each year the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce consumption. WHO created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and its lethal effects.
  • Great American Smokeout:
    Third Thursday of November. The Great American Smokeout was inaugurated in 1976 to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for one day. The Great American Smokeout remains a great opportunity to encourage people to commit to making a long-term plan to quit for good.

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Healthcare Providers

Utilizing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Clinical Practice Guidelines on Treating Tobacco use and Dependence, healthcare providers are encouraged to adopt a tobacco policy incorporating the 5 As tobacco reminder system. The 5A’s include:

  • Ask
  • Advise
  • Assess
  • Assist
  • Arrange

Providers who implement the tobacco reminder system are given patient education materials. Contact us to learn more about the 5 As tobacco reminder system.

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Reducing Exposure to Secondhand Smoke

In 2006 The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General was published (see full report). He concluded that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. He declared: "The Debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard."

Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke. Children are more likely to have lung problems, ear infections, and severe asthma from being around smoke. Secondhand smoke causes heart disease and lung cancer.

Eliminating nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke is an important goal of CDHD. One way to achieve this goal is through policy change. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that smoke-free policies not only reduce exposure to secondhand smoke but also encourage smokers to quit.

What about “personal rights”? Smoking is not a protected right as the following document explains:
There is No Constitutional Right to Smoke: 2008
by Samantha K. Graff

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Smoke-Free Parks

Each year in Idaho, more than 1,200 young people under the age of 18 become new daily smokers. More astonishingly, 24,000 youth under the age of 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking. Supporting tobacco-free parks and recreation areas sends the right message--that tobacco use is unhealthy and an unnecessary behavior.

All seven public health districts in Idaho are working with local municipalities to develop policies that restrict smoking in parks. Currently the following cities in Idaho have policies or ordinances that restrict tobacco use or smoking in their city parks: Ammon, Emmett, Rexburg, Hayden, Melba, Payette, and Wilder. Nationally, over 470 United States Municipalities have Smoke-free Park Laws.

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Top 4 Reasons for Smoke-Free Park Policy

      1. Parks promote healthy activities.
      The purpose of community park systems is to promote community wellness, and tobacco-free policies fit with this idea.

      2. Children model adult behaviors.
      Children who see adults using tobacco in a family-friendly place like a park or recreation area may think smoking is acceptable and are more likely to mimic the behavior. Tobacco-free policies encourage young people to make healthy choices. The more tobacco-free environments a community provides, the fewer opportunities for youth to start smoking.

      3. Secondhand smoke is dangerous.
      Secondhand smoke near children, youth and adults participating in or watching recreational activities is unhealthy and harmful to the health of others. Secondhand smoke levels in outdoor public places can reach levels as high as those found in indoor facilities where smoking is permitted.

      4. Cigarette litter is harmful.
      Cigarette butts are a very common form of litter found in parks and recreation areas. Discarded cigarettes pollute the land and water and may be ingested by toddlers, pets, birds, or fish.

Park and Recreation Areas Promote Health

City-Owned Outdoor Recreational Facilities Model Tobacco-Free Policy

Outdoor Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Fact Sheet

Free Signs with Smoke-Free or Tobacco-Free Policy!

Cities in Ada, Boise, Elmore, or Valley County that adopt tobacco-free or smoke-free policies for their recreational facilities and park property can order FREE metal signs from Central District Health Department to help with policy implementation.

To qualify for the signs, the policy must include:

  • A list of all the facilities it covers
  • A statement of the forms of tobacco use which are prohibited:
    • Smoke- Free or Tobacco- Free
  • An enforcement plan that includes:
    • User and staff notification
    • Signage

Idaho cities within Ada, Boise, Elmore or Valley County only please. Contact Joanne Graff at Central District Health Department for details or for more information.
Phone: 208-327-8543 or Email Joanne Graff.

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Smoke-free Housing:

To reduced nonsmoker’s exposure to secondhand smoke, Central District Health Department is working with multi-housing complexes and apartments to enact policy that restricts smoking. Please contact us for assistance in policy development. Useful resources include the following websites:

Smoke-Free Environments Law Project

Oregon Smokefree Housing Project

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Smoke-Free Worksites:

Employers are encouraged to adopt policies that make all indoor places smoke-free and to not allow smoking near doorways and entrances. Central District Health Department enacted a Tobacco Free Campus Policy in July 2008. Our experienced staff has assisted numerous employers with their policy development and implementation. Please contact us if your business is interested in adopting a policy to decrease secondhand smoke exposure.

Creating a Smoke-free Workplace

Smoke-Free Home and Car Pledge:

Make your environment smoke-free. Learn more and take the smoke-free home and car pledge at www.epa.gov/smokefree

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Youth

CDHD works with partners to provide youth activities that increase awareness about tobacco prevention.

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