9/6/06
For Immediate Release: Contact Lee Rutledge-Falcione, (724) 222-6511, Ext. 16

Peer Factor Friends and Family Challenge and School Resource Brochure Coming to Tobacco Free Program

Peer Factor Friends and Family Challenge 2006
Beginning Thursday, November, 2, Peer Factor will hold open casting calls for the Washington County Peer Factor Friends and Family Challenge 2006, at 5 p.m. at 410 North Main Street in Washington, PA.

A recent survey of 140 Peer Factor members showed that while 23% used tobacco products (mostly smoking), almost 70% of them were interested in quitting. A Survey of adult smokers in Washington County shows that 63% wish they could quit. The majority of them wish they never started smoking.

Teens who register for the casting call will participate in the Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T) Program, an American Lung Association designed program that uses life and stress management skills to help teens quit smoking.

Teams of two or more friends or family members are encouraged to apply. At least one must use tobacco and want to quit.

To register for the open casting calls, or for more information on the Peer Factor Friends and Family Challenge 2006, please contact Maribeth Tarpley-Garrett at 1-888-301-2311.

Set Them Free School Resource Brochure
To prevent students from initiating tobacco use and encourage current tobacco users to quit, The Tobacco Free Program of Washington County Health Partners is promoting the Set Them Free School Resource Brochure.

The Set Them Free Brochure lists the community agencies offering programs free of charge that decrease tobacco use at Washington County Schools and enhance their tobacco-free atmospheres.

The brochure will be available to Washington County School Boards, Superintendents, Principals, and teachers in late October.

Despite major public health efforts, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Since the majority of all tobacco users today start before the age of 18, youth tobacco use prevention and cessation has become a priority area for public health programs.

For Washington County Education Professionals interested in the brochure, please contact Marsha Morrison, Tobacco Free Coordinator, at 1-800-904 FREE, ext. 13.

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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