11-1-06
For Immediate Release: Contact Lee Rutledge-Falcione, (724) 222-6511, Ext. 16

Tobacco Users Needed For Quit Now Challenge

 The Tobacco Free Program of Washington County Health Partners (WCHP) encourages tobacco users between the ages of 18-29 to enter the “Quit Now” Challenge.

Interested persons can submit a video (no more than two minutes in length) or an e-mail (300 words or less) explaining why they want to quit tobacco.

The entries should be submitted by November 17, 2006. For more details, an entry form, release form, and instructions, visit www.1800quitnow.org .

Semi-finalists will contact 1-800-QUIT-NOW, and begin an 8-week journey through smoking cessation that runs through December and January. They will be asked to record their “quitting” experiences on a web site blog. Winners will be invited to spokespeople for a media campaign that follows.

The Challenge, sponsored by the National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines (NNTCQ), is designed to show that quitlines are an effective to help tobacco users quit.

Since quitlines can provide assistance to smokers who want to quit regardless of their geographic location or economic status, a toll-free national access telephone number, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, can provide a common point of access for callers across the country.

Since it began in 2002, 39,549 Pennsylvanians have used 1-800-QUIT-NOW, of which 777 were from Washington County. The most recent available data for its first three fiscal years of operation, the quit rate at 3 months was 18.9%, 20.6%, and 24% respectively.

Those percentages are considered very good as measured by the U.S. Department of Health’s Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence who report telephone counseling quit rates typically range from 11.4% to 14.8%.

Tobacco Free Program
Washington County Health Partners, Inc. (WCHP) was named by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as the primary contractor to continue to establish community-based, comprehensive tobacco use prevention and cessation programs for Washington County between May 2005 and June 2007. The Tobacco Free Program has carefully addressed each of the contract deliverables through 7 program areas: 

¨        Ask and Advise helps health care professionals to identify and help Tobacco Users to quit. 

¨        Clear the Air increases the number of smoke-free environments. 

¨        Do Your Part supports local law enforcement and the business community in prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors.

¨        Help to Quit promotes local, phone, and internet-based tobacco cessation programs.

¨        Knowledge in Action facilitates the exchange of tobacco control-related information between experts, advocates, and lawmakers. 

¨        Set Them Free works with school-related audiences to implement tobacco-free programs.

¨        Peer Factor (BUSTED!) creates an active youth movement that participates in one or more of the Peer Factor challenges: to expose the truth about manipulative and deceptive marketing practices used to target teens, quit or help others quit using tobacco, and/or work to increase tobacco-free environments. 

For more information, contact the Tobacco Free Program at:
724-222-6511, toll free 1-866-904-FREE (3733), or info@tobaccofreewashington.org.

Washington County Health Partners, Inc.
Incorporated in 2000, Washington County Health Partners, Inc. (WCHP) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement of the health and well-being of Washington County residents.  Recognized as a State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Community Health Partnership by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, WCHP performs periodic community health assessments to identify county health issues. 

WCHP provides a forum through its volunteer-led, collaborative task forces for health and human service agencies, businesses, local government, schools and colleges, the faith community, civic organizations, community volunteers, and law enforcement to combine expertise and resources to address health issues, including access to health insurance, community wellness, minority health, nutrition, respiratory health, teen wellness, and tobacco free initiatives.

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