Nearly 34 million U.S. adults smoke cigarettes. About two out of every three of them want to quit and more than half will try to quit each year. Quitting can be difficult, but if we come together and double down on our efforts, we can help people who smoke make 2019 the year they quit—and quit for good. CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) has designated 2019 the Year of Cessation, providing a coordinated opportunity across state and territory public health agencies to enhance their capacity to address tobacco cessation efforts. In this episode, hear about the policy implications and implementation efforts from the Tobacco Control Network and state public health executive leadership.

Guests:

• Corinne Graffunder, DrPH, MPH, director of the Office on Smoking and Health, CDC
• Patti Henley, MEd, director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program
• Luci Longoria, MPH, Tobacco Control Network Chair and manager for Community Mobilization for Policy at the Oregon Health Authority’s Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention section

Resources:

• CDC OSH Year of Cessation Overview: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/cessation/2019-year-of-cessation/pdfs/2019-year-of-cessation-overview-p.pdf
• OSH Year of Cessation website: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/cessation/2019-year-of-cessation/index.html
• TCN Policy Recommendations Guide: http://tobaccocontrolnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/TCN-2016-Policy-Recommendations-Guide.pdf
• ASTHO Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Position Statement: http://www.astho.org/Policy-and-Position-Statements/Position-Statement-on-Tobacco-Use-Prevention-and-Control/