Tobacco Free Youth

Farmington — The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) will host the second in a series of four free daylong workshops examining tobacco use prevention and control initiatives, and how they can be applied within the community. The “Tobacco Free Youth: Preventing Initiation” workshop will take place on Tuesday, February 1, at Tunxis Community College.

The workshops are designed to provide participants with tools to implement effective, evidence-based community interventions and advocacy strategies to prevent tobacco use among youth. “These workshops are revitalizing Connecticut’s efforts to raise public awareness of the hazards of smoking, reduce exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, encourage smokers to become smoke-free and prevent youth from using tobacco,” stated DPH Commissioner J. Robert Calvin, MD.

Two dynamic, nationally recognized tobacco control advocates will speak at the event. Dr Ursula Bauer is the director of the New York State Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Program and has been instrumental in instituting effective smoking prevention initiatives in New York State. Danny McGoldrick, director of research for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, will be the second keynote speaker at the workshop. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is one of the nation’s largest nongovernmental initiatives aimed at protecting children from tobacco addiction and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death and illness, leading to the loss of approximately 400,000 people per year, more than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. Approximately 8.6 million people suffer from smoking-caused conditions. Tobacco use prevention programs are effective in reducing tobacco use among adults and youth, helping states realize significant declines in health care costs. For more information on Connecticut tobacco use prevention initiatives, legislation and statistics, visit the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s website at www.dph.state.ct.us.

Persons interested in attending the workshop, or who would like further information, may call Wheeler Clinic at 860-793-2164 or email dwiniarski@wheelerclinic.org. Registration is free and includes conference materials.