Governor Pillen Proclaims Quit Tobacco Week to Encourage Quitting Tobacco Products for Good
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease. On November 4, Governor Jim Pillen signed a proclamation recognizing November 16-22, 2025, as Quit Tobacco Week, focusing attention and resources across the state to support Nebraskans on their journey to becoming tobacco-free. Tobacco Free Nebraska, the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline, the American Cancer Society, and other partners across Nebraska are teaming up to promote Quit Tobacco Week and the Great American Smokeout, also known as GASO. Each year during the third week of November, these events encourage people who use any tobacco product to commit to a tobacco-free lifestyle and help inform people about the many tools they can use to help them quit—and stay quit.
- The American Cancer Society has developed GASO tools and resources for partners to use, including a webpage titled Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time.
- Mayor Brandon Kelliher teamed up with Tobacco Free Lincoln County (TFLC) to proclaim November 16-22 as Quit Tobacco Week in the North Platte community. TFLC has also prepared quit kits to distribute to businesses and organizations to promote quitting.
- Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System is hosting a mini-health fair for GASO on November 25 with booths, gift cards, and prizes for attendees.
- Tobacco Free Lancaster County (TFLC) has prepared quit kits and customizable resources for businesses and other Lancaster County organizations to encourage their employees and customers to quit tobacco and celebrate those who have already quit.
- Panhandle Public Health Department is using TFN’s Quit Tobacco Week social media kit to share information about the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline and issuing a press release promoting GASO.
- In Douglas County, Metro Omaha Tobacco Action Coalition (MOTAC) is sending partner organizations electronic Quitline resources for adults and youth, links to education on “Ask, Advise, Refer,” “Ask, Counsel, Treat,” and “Tobacco Basics,” and information on menthol products. The coalition is also promoting cessation on social media, sharing the TFN social media kit, and encouraging community partners (and their networks) to post, share, and tag using #GreatAmericanSmokeout and #NEQuitTobaccoWeek.
- Tobacco Education and Advocacy of the Midlands (TEAM) encouraged Sarpy and Cass County businesses to host Great American Smokeout coffee chats on November 20 by providing free resource kits and coffee supplies to support employees and customers in their quit attempts. The coalition also offers free quit kits (or bulk quit kits) to any individual or healthcare provider in the counties looking to reduce or eliminate tobacco use, and members of the community can chat with T.E.A.M. staff in person at CHI Health Midlands Hospital on November 20.
- The Tobacco Education and Advocacy Coalition of Hall County (TEACH) has prepared quit kits to hand out to community members looking to quit tobacco. They have also shared social media posts, issued a press release, and conducted radio interviews with KRGI-FM to promote Quit Tobacco Week and GASO.
American Lung Association’s 8th Annual State of Lung Cancer Report
The American Lung Association released the 8th annual State of Lung Cancer report.
The report highlights incredible progress in efforts to end lung cancer, including increases in lung cancer survival and early detection rates. This means that doctors are catching lung cancer earlier, and people are living longer after being diagnosed with the disease.
The report highlights how the toll of lung cancer varies by state and examines key indicators throughout the U.S., including new cases, survival, early diagnosis, surgical treatment, lack of treatment, screening rates, and coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing.
In Nebraska, the report found that the state ranks:
- 19 out of 51 in the nation for the rate of new lung cancer cases, at 51.9 per 100,000. The national rate is 52.8 per 100,000.
- 19 out of 39 in the nation for survival, at 30%. The national rate of people alive five years after a lung cancer diagnosis is 29.7%.
- 8 out of 50 in the nation for early diagnosis, at 31.3%. Nationally, only 28.1% of cases are diagnosed at an early stage, when the survival rate is much higher.
- 25 out of 51 in the nation for smoking, at 12.1%.
Other resources from ALA:
- State of Lung Cancer – Nebraska Infographic 2025
- Should you be screened for lung cancer? Guide
- Menthol Cigarettes: Know Your Lung Cancer Risk
New Resources from the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) Disability Network for Tobacco Control and Cancer Prevention
The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors’ (NACDD) Disability Network for Tobacco Control and Cancer Prevention has developed new fact sheets on including, partnering, and communicating with people with disabilities about tobacco prevention and control.
- Including People with Disabilities in Tobacco and Cancer Programs
- Access Starts with Partnership: Partnership with the Disability Community is Key
- Best Practices for Communicating with People with Disabilities
NAQC’s FREE Certified Course for Tobacco Treatment Specialists
Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for about 85% of cases. Tobacco Treatment Specialists (TTS) have the power to guide individuals toward healthier futures. Project ENGAGE invites TTSs to take part in NAQC’s FREE, one-hour online accredited course, created to equip them with the knowledge and tools to help clients pursue lung cancer screenings and embrace a smoke-free life.
Accredited Learning: Approved by the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs, this course provides one continuing education contact hour and a certificate of achievement upon completion.
Be Part of the Solution: Join a growing community of over 1,000 healthcare professionals who’ve already completed this course. “Conversations that Save Lives: How Tobacco Treatment Specialists Can Engage Clients in a Discussion about Lung Cancer Screening” empowers TTSs to lead impactful discussions that could mean the difference between early detection and late-stage diagnosis.
Action on Smoking & Health’s 2025 Tobacco Industry Interference Index
Action on Smoking & Health’s (ASH) new 2025 U.S. Tobacco Industry Interference Index shows that the United States now ranks 98th out of 100 countries for protecting public policy from Big Tobacco’s influence. This means the tobacco industry is successfully weakening lifesaving public health protections, from blocking a menthol cigarette ban to partnering with US government agencies.
“The tobacco industry’s playbook hasn’t changed – profit first, health last. Protecting public health means keeping the tobacco industry out of policy decisions, full stop,” said Nichelle Gray-Lkhagvadorj, Lead Author, 2025 U.S. Index; Manager of Engagement and Special Programs, ASH.
Denver Voters Uphold Law Ending Flavored Tobacco Sales in Big Win for Kids Over the Tobacco Industry
On November 4, 2025, Denver voters delivered a resounding victory for kids over the tobacco industry by upholding the city’s ordinance ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, and flavored cigars. Voters backed Referendum 310, the ballot measure to uphold the law, by a margin of 70% to 30%.
This vote clears the way for Denver to implement its ordinance to end the tobacco industry’s use of flavored products to target and addict youth and other at-risk communities. The ordinance will protect kids from tobacco addiction, reduce commercial tobacco-related health disparities, and save lives.
Join a Research Study to Help Menthol Smokers Quit
Recruitment has officially begun for the PCORI-funded study at the University of Michigan to help make a phone app more useful for people who smoke menthol cigarettes, primarily from underserved communities. They are seeking 20 individuals who have lived or have a living experience with smoking menthol cigarettes to participate in focus testing interviews.
View the flyer with full details about the study and participation. If you know of anyone in your network who may be eligible, or if you have access to listservs or groups where this call could reach individuals who use or have used menthol cigarettes, please share this opportunity.
FDA Updates
- On November 6, 2025, the FDA established the closing date for the public comment period on the modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) renewal applications submitted by Philip Morris Products S.A. for several IQOS heated tobacco products. Public comments on these applications must be submitted to the appropriate docket by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 8, 2025, to ensure they are considered by the FDA:
- FDA-2021-N-0408 (IQOS 3.0 System Holder and Charger)
Resource of the Month
The Truth About Nicotine Pouches Brochure
Nicotine pouches are the latest evolution of non-combustible tobacco products. Tobacco Free Nebraska has developed a new brochure titled The Truth About Nicotine Pouches, which provides information about the emerging tobacco product and resources, such as the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline, to help those trying to quit. This brochure is currently only available in English.
Download this resource for FREE here, and check out Tobacco Free Nebraska’s other cessation resources at the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline Order Form.
Annette S.
Annette experimented with cigarettes as a teenager, smoking occasionally. But by the time she turned 20, Annette was smoking regularly.
Annette lives in New York and is the mother of three. She also has three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. “I love visits with my family,” says Annette. She has a special bond with her 10-year-old granddaughter, who repeatedly urged Annette to quit smoking. “My granddaughter would say to me, ‘Grandma, don’t smoke; please don’t smoke.”
When she was 50 years old, Annette heeded her granddaughter’s advice and quit cold turkey after having smoked for more than 30 years. But by then, she already had cancer. At age 52, Annette went to the doctor because she was having difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with lung cancer so advanced that it was necessary to remove one of her lungs. A few years later, she was diagnosed with oral cancer, and surgery was again required. Today, at age 57, Annette is tobacco-free and cancer-free.
Providers can refer patients using the online web referral option or the updated fax referral form. Visit QuitNow.ne.gov/providers to access tools, resources, and education modules, plus the web and fax referrals for providers ready to help patients quit.
Nebraska Statewide Quarterly Coalition Meeting
November 19, 2025 | 9:30 – 11:00 am CT
Tobacco Free Nebraska is hosting a virtual State Coalition Meeting on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 9:30-11:00 a.m. CT/8:30-10:00 a.m. MT.
WEBINAR: Building a System That Helped 300,000 People Quit Smoking
December 2, 2025 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT
Kaiser Permanente Northern California cut smoking rates from 8.6% to 5.8% over 9 years—saving an estimated 3 million life-years. How? By building one of the largest, most effective tobacco treatment systems in U.S. healthcare. Whether you’re in a big health system or a small clinic or county health department, this session will leave you with practical, low-barrier strategies you can start applying right away.
Renee Fogelberg, MD, FACOG, DiploABOM, NCMP, Clinical Lead Tobacco Cessation, Northern California, Kaiser Permanente, will present on this important topic.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Explain how to design and build a new tobacco cessation workflow
Explain how to leverage strategic “teachable moments” where quit rates are statistically higher
Describe key elements in integrating this work into the electronic medical record EMR
Quit Tobacco Week Workgroup
December 3, 2025 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. CT
Quit Tobacco Week will be held November 16-22, 2025. It will culminate on Thursday, November 20, for the Great American Smokeout. The goal of Tobacco Cessation Week is to encourage community support, to raise awareness of the importance of quitting tobacco, and to celebrate and support Nebraskans on their quitting journeys. Healthcare providers, businesses, and community partners are encouraged to host cessation events and initiatives. This workgroup will help support cessation week by creating a space for partners to connect and share ideas, identifying opportunities for collaboration, developing communication tools, and more as we work to promote tobacco cessation in Nebraska.
Nebraska Tobacco Disparities Partnership
December 3, 2025 | 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.
Upcoming Holidays, Monthly Health Observances and Awareness Days
December 2025
- Quit Season
- World AIDS Day, December 1, 2025
- New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025
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.