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TOBACCO FREE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS

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Board Of Health Survey: Please take a moment to complete this brief survey (only 6 questions).
This survey will allow us to better understand your needs and interests around preventing youth access to tobacco products

Click Here to take Board Of Health Survey

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Director: Christine Sass
Assistant Director: Michele Houghtaling

Phone: 413-584-1300 ext: 7
Fax: 413-584-1391 or 413-584-1465

OUR MISSION is to eliminate the health consequences associated with tobacco use through: education, prevention, assistance with quitting smoking, and the elimination of secondhand smoke.

TOBACCO remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Did you know that:

	Secondhand smoke causes more deaths per year than all other regulated air pollutants combined;
	3,000 teens become regular smokers everyday in the United States;
	Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer causing agents;
	The tobacco industry spends more than 13 million dollars a day to advertise and promote cigarettes;
	Smoking is responsible for 87% of lung cancers;
	Smoking accounts for about 30% of all cancer deaths.

PROGRAMS

The Tobacco Free Community Partnership works to decrease the health and economic impact of tobacco in Hampshire County and share that information with community leaders, parents, and policy makers by;
• educating parents and other concerned adults about new and emerging tobacco products,
• monitoring the sale and use of tobacco products by youth and adults,
• protecting people from second hand smoke including encouraging landlords to make their property smoke free, and
• encouraging people to quit tobacco use.

The Wellness Initiative is part of the Hampshire Group Insurance Trust working with subscribers to improve their health. According to several national studies illness and injury costs associated with unhealthy lifestyle accounts for about 25% of employee health care expenditures. We work to improve health through education, changing individual behavior and worksite environment to improve health and productivity of employees and decrease medical costs.

Western Mass Smoke Free Apartment Website
(http://smokefree.hampshirecog.org) Many landlords are not aware that they not only hve the right to make their apartment buildings smoke free, but that it makes good business sense.

Smoke free housing is "a simple solution that saves money and lives."
Smoke Free Apartments

	Lower cleaning and maintenance costs when tenants move
	Create an environment that attracts many tenants
	Creates a healthier apartment building
	Lowers insurance rates - because "smoking materials are the leading cause of home and total fire deaths in the United States"

WEBSITES that would help you in your work are listed below.

Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program (http://www.mass.gov/dph/mtcp)

EDUCATION AND PREVENTION

Make Smoking History (http://www.makesmokinghistory.org) for information about quitting, prevention, schools and workplace smoking policies, smoke free families, and the impact of smoking.

American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org) is a national website with links to local ACS agencies. Cancer information, and related news, research, and media services.

American Lung Association (http://www.lungusa.org) is a national website with links to local ALA agencies. Research and statistics, cessation material, press releases, articles, legislative advocacy, and information on targeted groups (women, minorities, etc.). No on Tobacco (NOT) is their new teen tobacco treatment program.

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (http://www.tobaccofreekids.org) is a national organization with current tobacco news, action alerts, calendar of events, research, tobacco settlement information, and an area for kids. Canadian Council for Tobacco Control (http://www.cctc.ca/) is a Canadian non-profit whose purpose is to provide a national focus for tobacco control and a healthy community. Their mission is to ensure a healthier society, free from addiction to, and involuntary exposure to, tobacco products. Excellent resource.

TOBACCO TREATMENT

TryToStop (http://www.trytostop.org) Developed with the American Cancer Society, this site offers help with planning a process for quitting, including counseling, methods, brochures, tips, and other support.

Make Smoking History (http://www.makesmokinghistory.org) for information about quitting, prevention, schools and workplace smoking policies, smoke free families, and the impact of smoking.