| May 2010
NAQC News
KIQNIC Year 2 Survey Open Until June 20, 2010
The Knowledge Integration for Quitlines: Networks that Improve Cessation (KIQNIC) year 2 survey is now open! Invitations have been distributed by e-mail with participant login information. A PowerPoint™ presentation containing findings from the year 1 survey and tips for taking the year 2 survey is now available on the KIQNIC page of the NAQC Web site. Survey instructions and a recording of the webinar (where the PowerPoint™ was presented) are also available on the site. For any questions about the study or taking the survey, contact Gregg Moor via e-mail.
NAQC Interviewed by Wall Street Journal Digital Affiliate
MarketWatch.com, part of the Wall Street Journal's Digital Network, released an article on May 13, 2010 discussing how tobacco taxes, smoke-free policies, media campaigns, and geographic location influence a person's success rate when quitting tobacco. NAQC's President and CEO Linda Bailey was interviewed and quoted in the article along with Thomas Glynn, director of cancer science and trends for the American Cancer Society.
» read article
NAQC Approves Three Annual Survey Data Requests
In the past several months, three requests for access to NAQC Annual Survey data have been approved. Researchers from the Knowledge Integration in Quitlines: Networks to Improve Cessation (KIQNIC) project requested supplementary information to provide context around data collected from the KIQNIC year 1 survey; researchers from Cornell University requested information to conduct an econometric analysis of state-sponsored quitlines; and the American Lung Association requested data for inclusion in the State of Tobacco Control and Helping Smokers Quit reports. Each request was reviewed by a panel of at least three NAQC members. For more details on these three data requests, or for more information on the data request process, visit NAQC’s Request Survey Data page.
Tobacco Control
Landmark Vote in South Carolina a Victory for Tobacco Control and Public Health
NAQC would like to congratulate South Carolina on its decision to take a decisive step toward comprehensive tobacco control with its recent vote to override Governor Sanford’s veto and enact a $0.50 increase in their tobacco tax. While the new tax of $0.57 is still relatively small in comparison to many other states, it is significant for several reasons: the last tobacco tax increase in SC was 23 years ago; prior to May 13, 2010, SC was one of 6 southern states with tobacco tax rates of less than $0.50; and most importantly, this decision marks the largest amount of state funds that SC has ever set aside to fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
» read more
Report Reveals Characteristics of People Who Quit
Many effective, evidence-based smoking cessation options are available such as medications, counseling, telephone help lines, and self-help groups. However, even with treatments and services, many people continue to smoke. Understanding the characteristics of those people who are able to quit is important to improving and targeting smoking cessation and outreach efforts. A recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) report examines smoking cessation rates among individuals who were able to quit during the past year. These were individuals who had smoked on a daily basis at some time in their lives and who smoked any cigarettes during the 13 to 24 months prior to the survey.
» read more
American Lung Association Releases 2009 SLATI Report
The American Lung Association has released the 2009 edition of State Legislated Actions on Tobacco Issues (SLATI), its annual summary of state tobacco control laws as of January 2, 2010. Effective May 1, 2010, Michigan now has a law prohibiting smoking in almost all public places and workplaces, including restaurants; and bars, and Washington’s cigarette tax increased by $1.00 to $3.025 per pack, making it the 2nd highest state cigarette tax in the country.
» download report (PDF 3.86MB)
Research
Exploring Scenarios to Dramatically Reduce Smoking Prevalence: A Simulation Model of the Three-Part Cessation Process
Levy DT, Mabry PL, Graham Al, Orleans T, Abrams DB. . American Journal of Public Health, published online ahead of print May 13, 2010.
This study used a simulation model to explore whether the Healthy People 2010 goal of reducing smoking prevalence to 12% by 2010 could be accomplished by increasing quit attempts, increasing the use of treatments, or increasing the effectiveness of treatment. Individually, 100% increases from current levels of each of the three strategies reduced the projected 2020 prevalence to 13.9%, 16.7%, and 15.9% respectively. With a combined 100% increase in all three components, 12% prevalence would be reached by 2012.
CDC Grand Rounds: Current Opportunities in Tobacco Control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR Weekly. April 30, 2010;59(16):487-492.
This report discusses the current state of tobacco control both nationally in the U.S. and worldwide. It also identifies two key developments in tobacco control policy and planning: the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which has been signed by 168 countries, went into effect in February 2005, and the 2007 Institute of Medicine (IOM) "blueprint for action.”
Strategies for further opportunities for tobacco control identified within these documents include increased pricing of tobacco products, protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, and efforts to educate the public and consumers about the health risks associated with tobacco use. They also include regulation of product contents, packaging, and advertising. Finally, strengthening and fully implementing traditional evidence-based tobacco control measures are indicated as a next step to capitalize on existing efforts and maximize the opportunity for further gains. The authors conclude that through these strategies, and by achieving a modest decline in smoking prevalence worldwide (from 25% to 20%) through further use of tobacco control measures, 100 million deaths can be prevented by 2020.
Relapse-Prevention Booklets Reduce Smoking Relapse among Arkansas Quitline Callers
In Arkansas, a quasi-experimental study found that the addition of the Forever Free relapse prevention materials to telephone counseling doubled the abstinence rate and increased the odds of abstinence six months after treatment by nearly 70% (20.9% versus 10.6%; OR=1.69; CI=1.02-2.78; p=0.04) for those participants who received counseling and were unable or unwilling to use nicotine patches.
» read more
Announcements
June 3 Webinar: New FDA Rule & Prohibition on Light/Low Cigarettes
Join the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Legacy for a nationwide call to discuss the major provisions of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that goes into effect on June 22—and how this will impact your state and community. The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products has been invited to give opening remarks on this call and there will also be time at the end of the call for Q&A.
» more info
NCI's Smokefree Women Launch New Video Contest to Capture the Quitting Experience
The National Cancer Institute’s Smokefree Women has launched a video contest—Celebrating Smokefree Voices—to capture the variety of quitting experiences and reasons for quitting smoking among women and friends/families across the nation. There will be three winners in each category with prizes up to $2,000. All video entries must be submitted by June 4, 2010 along with the required video entry form. Contest winners will be announced on July 2, 2010, right before Independence Day, to celebrate freedom (or "independence”) from smoking.
» more info
European Network of Quitlines Celebrates 10th Anniversary
The European Network of Quitlines (ENQ) celebrates its 10th Anniversary. NAQC congratulates ENQ on its significant accomplishments during the past 10 years. Members are encouraged to review the presentations from the ENQ 10th Anniversary Conference using the link below.
» review presentations
Funding for Connections is provided through a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a grant from the American Cancer Society. We thank them for their support of this publication. Information and links are provided solely as a service to NAQC members and partners and do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by NAQC, nor should any be inferred. |
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