National Working Group for ACTTION

Aug 27, 2009
Letter from Diane Canova

Dear Partners,

Much has happened in recent months with respect to legislative activity related to tobacco, which means there have been many opportunities for us to have our messages heard. The recommendations for comprehensive tobacco cessation treatment coverage, as promoted in the Call for ACTTION, can play a big part in advancing just about every health care-related discussion.  We all should continue to do what we can to promote own sector’s tobacco cessation recommendations to help provide solutions to our health care dilemma.  Tobacco cessation is a cost-effective and valuable preventive service.  And, as we say at Partnership for Prevention – REAL health reform starts with prevention.

Aug 27, 2009
Unfinished Business: Increasing Access Is Critical to Tobacco Cessation

Recent commentary in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlights U.S. progress on addressing the disease and death caused by tobacco products, but notes that there is significant unfinished business. This piece underscores the critical and unmet need for greater availability of cessation treatments, higher cigarette taxes and expanded smoke-free policies.

Aug 27, 2009
September State Activity: Taking a Look at Bans and Taxes

As we see several states, local communities and hospitals continue to go smoke-free, three more states will join the ranks in September by implementing smoking bans and increasing taxes on tobacco. On September 12, Maine is enacting a smoke-free workplace law and on September 1, North Carolina and Wisconsin are implementing increased tobacco taxes. Read how with every step forward in tobacco control, there is always more work to be done.

Sep 02, 2009
North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) Conference Call - Stimulus Funding for U.S. Quitlines

NAQC will convene a conference call to discuss the likelihood of up to $45 million in funding from the stimulus package being allocated to state quitlines and preparations that should be undertaken to prepare for the funding. All state quitline managers, tobacco control program managers and quitline service providers are urged to attend! For additional background on the stimulus package, please read the policy update in Connections. For those unable to attend, an audio file will be available for seven days after the call. Contact NAQC at naqc@naquitline.org with questions.

Sep 17, 2009
ACTTION Employer/Insurer Webcast Series Kick-off

A Good Investment in a Bad Economy: The ROI Case for Helping Your Employers Quit Smoking

The National Working Group, in partnership with America's Health Insurance Plans, will host a FREE Webcast discussing the return on investment for tobacco cessation and provide insight into: innovative and effective strategies for tobacco cessation programs among health insurance plans; how health plan leaders are addressing concerns of employers on the return on investment for tobacco cessation programs and services; and the benefits to health insurance plans and employers for providing tobacco cessation initiatives. For more information, check out the National Working Group’s Web site at www.acttiontoquit.org.