February 6, 2020

We hope you enjoy this monthly newsletter from the Training & Education Program at the Center for Tobacco Independence.

Upcoming Events Please click on the orange titles for more information and to register. BASIC SKILLS TRAININGS Tobacco Intervention: Basic Skills Training Tuesday, March 3, 2020 8am - 4pm Auburn Learn about nicotine addiction and how to integrate brief, evidence-based tobacco treatment interventions into current practice. Targeted Basic Skills: Prevention Professionals* Tuesday, March 31, 2020 7:30am - 12:15pm Portland Learn about the ways that policy development and tobacco treatment support each other, including strategies for effectively promoting and supporting tobacco free campus policies. (Scroll to bottom for more information) WEBINARS Tobacco Use Disorder and Serious Mental Illness Thursday, February 20, 2020 12 - 1pm Explore the burden of tobacco use among individuals with serious mental illness, including opportunities for treatment through evidence- based models and case studies. Smoking is Ruff on Pets and Children: Dangers of Secondhand Smoke Thursday, March 12, 2020 12 - 1pm  Learn about the dangers and potential health problems associated with cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosol on kids and animals.

What's the Research? Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General Just Released In 1990, the Surgeon General issued a report on The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation. This 2020 report is the first Surgeon General’s report since then to focus solely on quitting smoking. This new report: Discusses patterns of adult smoking and smoking cessation in the U.S. Updates findings on the biology of addiction and smoking cessation Reviews the immediate- and long-term health benefits of smoking cessation Examines treatments and tools proven to help adults quit smoking Highlights population-based strategies that encourage and support cessation in the U.S. The 2020 report also notes that, currently, only about three-fifths of people who smoke are routinely advised by their physicians to stop smoking. Download Key Findings HERE Click HERE to access a Consumer Guide and the full report

EVALI and Youth Vaping Epidemics

Issues surrounding ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery system devices) and vaping create a lot of confusion and debate. Last month a perspective piece entitled The EVALI and Youth Vaping Epidemics — Implications for Public Health was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It addresses the use of electronic devices to vape nicotine and THC. The authors, Brian A. King, Ph.D and colleagues, assert that there are two distinct but related epidemics that are connected to vaping: the recent outbreak of lung injuries (known as EVALI) and the continued surge in use by young people. The authors discuss the complexity represented by the emergence of these public health crises at a time when many people also argue in support of e-cigarettes as a quit method. King et al further comment on the types of actions that should be taken to protect public health. Read the piece HERE.

Selected Resource

Behavioral Health and Tobacco Infographics The National Behavioral Health Network for Tobacco & Cancer Control has developed six new infographics that address tobacco and cancer-related disparities among the behavioral health population. They also promote tobacco treatment within behavioral health facilities. The infographics can be digitally shared or printed. To access all the infographics, click HERE or on the image below.

* Targeted Basic Skills Training: Addressing Nicotine and Tobacco Use through Prevention, Policy and Treatment Initiatives (continued from sidebar above) Thursday, March 31, 2020 HALF-DAY TRAINING (7:30am - 12:15pm) MaineHealth, Portland Join other professionals and the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence Training and Education team for a half-day training. Learn more about the burden of tobacco and nicotine on communities across the state, tobacco-related disparities, and opportunities for interventions.  The ways that policy development and tobacco treatment support each other will be discussed, including strategies to effectively promote and support tobacco free campus policies.

More Information & Register

Continuing education credits are available for all programs

 For more information about the Training & Education Program, visit: www.CTIMaine.org

MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence (CTI) Tobacco Treatment Training and Education Program CTI provides education and training on evidence-based tobacco treatment to healthcare and behavioral health professionals in Maine on behalf of the Maine CDC, DHHS. Our goal is to improve access to high quality, best practice tobacco treatment and create a network of tobacco treatment specialists across the state.