National Working Group for ACTTION

January 26, 2010

Dear Partners,

Improvements in health care come in many forms and require efforts from many sources.  Cessation of tobacco use is a proven way to improve health right now and for years to come.  We know that comprehensive tobacco cessation treatment is effective.  That is why many of you came together a year ago to issue the Call for ACTTION.  Now, as issues related to health care are much in the public view, it is vitally important to continue building a strong commitment to the goal of the Call for ACTTION and to the measures that will make its achievement a reality.

As our partners realize, increasing tobacco cessation requires interconnected actions from many sources. The Call for ACTTION has identified action steps for employers and employer organizations, insurers, tobacco control and public health advocates, healthcare systems, and policymakers. Over the past year, ACTTION has provided tools for our partners through webinars, conference presentations, and materials. This is a solid start but, as the article in this month’s briefing on state activities in cessation demonstrates, more needs to be done.

I urge all our partners to make official their commitment to increasing access to cessation by signing the Call for ACTTION. I would also like to hear about activities that our partners are undertaking to implement the Call so that we can share them with all the partners. The more voices we have endorsing the Call and the more we know about what you are doing to implement the Call, the stronger our efforts will be.

If you have not already done so, please click here to become an official endorser.  

Regards,

Diane Canova

Vice President for Policy and Programs

Partnership for Prevention