Based on the success of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, health professionals created the Great American Spit Out, an annual celebration that coincides with Through with Chew Week (the third full week of February). This day encourages those that use spit/smokeless tobacco to quit for a day or longer. Tobacco companies are looking to expand their smokeless tobacco market, so campuses need to be ready.Through with Chew Week 2009: February 15 - 21
Great American Spit Out: February 19
Don’t know much about spit tobacco? No problem! Here are a few items that can help your peer educators, staff, and campus population.
Visit http://www.tobaccofreeu.org/store/ for more details.
Spit It Out “program-in-a-box”: This set comes complete with a PowerPoint presentation (ready to integrate into “clicker” software), a facilitator’s guide, brochures, and quit kits. Perfect for educating student groups, athletic teams, or a tobacco task force!
Quit the Spit pamphlets: This pamphlet is a quick and easy guide to the health effects of spit tobacco and tips for quitting. Be sure your health and wellness centers have these on hand.
Spit Quit Kits: These re-sealable bags contain a Quit the Spit pamphlet, a Medications Options pamphlet, sugar-free gum, toothpicks, and tips for quitting. Feel free to add items to these kits to make them more campus/community specific.
The BACCHUS Tobacco Store also has lots of promotional items to help boost interest in your Spit Out events. Choose from toothpicks, sunflower seeds, gum, pens, water bottles, and more.
You can also download the Tobacco Materials Catalog here: http://www.tobaccofreeu.org/documents/TobaccoCatalog08-09.pdf
Happy programming!
-posted by Tad Spencer
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3 comments:
Its one thing to have a promotion like this and another to support it with outdated and simply false information. I would have expected more from an institute of higher education. Look into the research and you will see that your information regarding the health effects of smokeless tobacco are simply wrong.
There are good reasons not to use smokeless tobacco but that does not counter the fact that it is a very good option for smokers who have not been able to quit and are looking for some way to reduce their health risks.
Using smokeless tobacco has about 1% of the health risk of smoking. by any measure it is massively safer.
Another thing you should be concerned about is that if people realize you are misleading them about smokeless then maybe you aren't telling the truth about anything else.
Thank you for your response and for visiting the BACCHUS Blog. We welcome discussion on health topics, but we ask that all visitors contribute in a way that is informed and respectful.
· The information we distribute comes from many reliable health sources, such as the CDC, The Mayo Clinic, and various expert researchers and academicians from around the world.
· We recognize an individual’s right to choose when he/she wants to quit tobacco, and we offer resources for the transition to a tobacco-free life.
· Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) poses less risk than smokeless products.
· Many people struggle with addiction to spit/smokeless tobacco. We offer resources to those who choose to quit all forms of tobacco.
Readers should also note that the organization linked to in the comment above receives funding from the Tobacco Industry, even though it is described as “hands off.”
I have no argument with your goals only the possible misleading of smokers who have been unable to quit through the usual means, and still want a healthier alternative.
As to your resources, I said what I said partially because a couple of links on the fact sheets are no longer active, and some of the others actually rely on information that has now been found to be wrong.
Part of my research has been into verifying the health statements on reputable health sites online, and sadly, many were dominated by political concerns rather than helping people live healthier lives.
Thank you.
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