Tobacco Use Prevention and Control

Hancock County Public Health Services focuses on preventing the initiation of tobacco use by youth, helps promote cessation by adults and youth, works on eliminating exposure to second hand smoke and helps to educate underprivileged populations about the harmful effects of tobacco.  These services are provided through prevention, education and cessation activities.

Hancock County Public Health Services goes into schools to educate students on the dangers of tobacco and secondhand smoke and helps students stop smoking.  We participate in school health fairs, community events and health fairs, coalitions, career fairs, and any other opportunity where we can prevent the use of tobacco. 

HCPHS educates and keeps providers up to date on needed information and we work with businesses on education and prevention.

Resources for Tobacco Prevention and Control:

	Garner Asset Project (GAP) - Gap Vision Statement: Youth and Adults working together to build a healthy community for healthy youth. Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month from 12-1 p.m. at various area churches. www.garnerassetproject.com
	JEL (Just Eliminate Lies) – Is a state organization that has local chapters that help to empower and unite youth to resist and expose Big Tobacco while changing current attitudes about tobacco. http://www.jeliowa.org/start
	YEL (Youth Eliminate Lies) is a state organization that has local chapters of junior high students that help to empower and unite youth to resist and expose Big Tobacco while changing current attitudes about tobacco.
	Youth Advocacy Day – Is designed as a means to educate students about the tobacco industry, tobacco prevention, the Just Eliminate Lies (JEL) campaign, and other tobacco-related issues.  After the education session the students eat lunch and then head to the capitol for a press conference/rally.  From there the students take their message to the people who can make a change, the legislatures.  Go to http://www.jeliowa.org/start for more information.
	Kick Butts Day – Is a day for youth to join the fight against tobacco by making people aware how it harms health and how tobacco companies target kids.  Go to  http://www.kickbuttsday.org for more information.

» Click here for tobacco facts

» Click here for health effects of chemicals found in a cigarette

For more information please contact Kelly Hutcheson:
khutcheson@hancockpublichealth.org