On Nov. 6, 2023, Gov. Jim Pillen signed a proclamation recognizing Nov. 12-18 as Tobacco Cessation Awareness Week to focus attention and resources across the state to support tobacco users on their journey to becoming tobacco-free.
“This proclamation recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline, a free and confidential resource that helps Nebraskans of all ages quit any type of tobacco, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products like chew,” Gov. Pillen stated in the proclamation. “Over the past 20 years, the Quitline has answered nearly 110,000 phone calls from participants, loved ones, healthcare providers and people asking questions about tobacco and the Quitline.”
On Nov. 2, FDA and the CDC released data from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey on tobacco product use among U.S. youth. The findings, which were collected between March and June 2023, show that 10 percent of U.S. middle and high school students (2.8 million youth) reported current use of any tobacco product.
Among U.S. high school students, current overall tobacco product use declined during 2022-2023 (16.5 percent to 12.6 percent). This decline was primarily attributable to reduced e-cigarette use (14.1 percent to 10 percent), which translates to 580,000 fewer high school students who reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2023. Among high school students, declines in current use were also observed during 2022-2023 for cigars and overall combustible tobacco smoking, representing all-time lows.
“It’s encouraging to see this substantial decline in e-cigarette use among high schoolers within the past year, which is a win for public health,” said Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “But we can’t rest on our laurels. There’s more work to be done to build on this progress.”
No Limits Nebraska mini-grant applications are open! No Limits is offering $500 for one Tobacco Prevention Event and one Public Service Announcement. These grants will give Nebraska teens a chance to create a tobacco-free school campus with student-led tobacco prevention events.
The deadline to apply has been extended to Nov. 17, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. The grants are available for students in grades 7-12+. Technical assistance from No Limits will be provided to grantees.
Students must have one adult sponsor. Once applications are turned in, No Limits will review applications and determine applicant eligibility. Priority will be given to grant applications with a focus on policy change and a plan for media involvement.
There will be a short closing evaluation that is due in April 2024.
View the mini-grant general information packet or overview video for more details.
CDC Foundation has posted its most recent National and State Data Briefs highlighting national and state trends in e-cigarette sales from January 2018 through September 2023.
These data briefs provide an update on trends in unit sales of e-cigarettes in the United States by product and flavor type. In addition, the national brief now lists the 10 top-selling e-cigarette brands and their combined market share and includes a figure with dollar sales of e-cigarettes.
These briefs do not include online sales or vape store sales and cannot be used to make conclusions about subgroup (e.g., youth) purchasing or behaviors. These estimates are based on the information available at the time of publication and may be subject to updates as more information becomes available.
The National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco and Cancer Control has released new resources:
A different type of flavored nicotine product is gaining popularity among young people: oral nicotine pouches. Oral nicotine pouches are used similarly to snus – an oral pouch containing shredded tobacco leaf – but unlike snus, they contain nicotine powder instead of tobacco leaf. Nicotine pouches contain nicotine which is harmful to young people in any form.
TOBACCO CESSATION FOR ORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS
This virtual training will equip healthcare providers with valuable insights into the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline’s services and other resources for assisting tobacco users in an oral health setting.
View the training flyer for more details.
Sessions:
Nov. 16, 2023, from 12-1 p.m. CT
Dec. 7. 2023, from 12-1 p.m. CT
CONNECTING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO TOBACCO CESSATION TREATMENT
This virtual training is a resource for community organizations to learn about connecting tobacco users to the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline’s free coaching services and other resources.
View the training flyer for my details.
Sessions:
Dec. 6, 2023, from 2-3 p.m. CT
Jan. 10, 2024, from 12-1 p.m. CT
EMAIL KYLA.SCOTT@NEBRASKA.GOV TO REGISTER
On Nov. 7, 2023, FDA issued a warning letter to Nic Nac Naturals, LLC for the marketing of their unauthorized dissolvable nicotine products, which the company describes as “nicotine mints” and resemble a pack of mints. These products are of particular concern because of their resemblance to popular candies and the potential to cause severe nicotine toxicity or even death if accidentally ingested by young children.
The manufacturer markets these tobacco products in a variety of mint and fruit flavors, all of which come in two nicotine strengths (3 milligrams or 6 milligrams). The packaging states the products contain non-tobacco nicotine. FDA regulates tobacco products containing nicotine from any source, including non-tobacco nicotine. The firm does not have a marketing authorization order from the agency to sell or distribute these products in the U.S. and the manufacture and sale of these products is illegal.
Tiffany smoked cigarettes for many years. She had lost her mother to lung cancer when she was 16. Tiffany’s motivation to quit was wanting to be around for her own daughter. “Watching her suffer was awful,” she recalls. “I felt alone and scared, and I felt it could have been prevented.” Still, Tiffany started smoking menthol cigarettes in her late teens. “On the college scene, a lot of kids I went to school with were smoking, and I wanted to fit in.” Soon she was smoking about a pack of menthol cigarettes a day.
Throughout the years she tried to quit, but it wasn’t until her own daughter was 16 that she made the connection to her mother and put forth a serious attempt to quit. “I didn’t want my daughter to think, ‘Wow, my mother loves cigarette smoking more than she cares about me,’” says Tiffany.
Her biggest and most enduring motivation has been her daughter. “She was so happy and so proud of me when I quit,” says Tiffany. “She told me she had prayed that I would quit smoking. And I told her, ‘I quit because I want to be around for you.’ I love her so much, and watching her grow up and thinking how successful she could be in her life, I can’t bear the thought of missing out on any of it!”
READ MORE ABOUT TIFFANY’S STORY
Tobacco Cessation and Behavioral Health Workgroup
Jan. 29, 2023 | 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. CT
During these quarterly virtual meetings, individuals will focus on the workgroup’s mission to collaborate, establish projects for the workgroup, share resources and align goals across the state of Nebraska, with the aim of increasing tobacco cessation programming in behavioral health services.
Email kyla.scott@nebraska.gov to register
Nebraska Tobacco Disparities Partnership Meeting
Dec.13, 2023 | 2:30-3:30 p.m. CT
The Nebraska Tobacco Disparities Partnership is a vibrant network of people and organizations from across the state that focuses on reducing tobacco-related disparities among Nebraska’s diverse populations. The Nebraska Tobacco Disparities Partnership works to provide the information, resources and support that these populations need to prevent youth from using tobacco, and to help current tobacco users quit.
Natalia Trinidad, MPH; Marcela Carvajal Suarez, MPH, BS; and Athena Ramos, PhD, MBA, MS, CPM, from the UNMC College of Public Health Center for Reducing Health Disparities, will present on Hispanic Community Engagement.
EMAIL RENEE.WADEMAN@NEBRASKA.GOV TO REGISTER
Tobacco Free Nebraska Quarterly Coalition Meeting
Jan. 24, 2024 | 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. CT
Tobacco Free Nebraska is hosting a virtual State Coalition Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, from 9:30-11:00 a.m. CT/8:30-10:00 a.m. MT.
SAVE THE DATE: National Conference on Tobacco or Health
Aug. 26-28, 2025 | Chicago, Illinois
The National Conference on Tobacco or Health is one of the largest, long-standing gatherings for top United States tobacco control professionals.
This convening attracts a diversity of attendees committed to best practices and policies to reduce tobacco use, which is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOBACCO OR HEALTH
Tobacco Disparities Reframing Project
OPEN NOW | Virtual
The CDC Office on Smoking and Health’s training resource to help the tobacco control community use new evidence-based framing and messaging.
This online order form provides the option to preview, order, download and print free and updated promotional resources such as brochures, window clings, magnets, information sheets and more with information about the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline. Most materials are available in both Spanish and English. Please order or use these free materials as needed.
November
December
Accredited courses are now available online through the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline, for providers looking to receive CME, CNE or CPE credits. Every year providers in Nebraska support patients quitting tobacco by referring them to the Quitline. The courses offered help providers discuss how cessation can increase quit success and reduce the risks associated with tobacco use, including vaping. Several courses are offered and cover a variety of topics, such as Tobacco Use Disparities for People with Behavioral Health Conditions, Myths About Quitting, Vaping and E-Cigarette Devices, and more.
Additionally, providers can refer patients using the new online web referral option or the updated fax referral form. Go online to access tools, resources, and education modules, plus the web and fax referrals for providers ready to help patients quit, at QuitNow.ne.gov/providers.
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit QuitNow.ne.gov to reach a trained quit coach, get access to free quit-smoking medication, and make a plan to quit tobacco for good.
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