North Dakota Media Notices TFND and Partners Quit Week Efforts

There’s been a significant amount of media coverage surrounding Quit Week from TFND and our partners. We are so thrilled with the attention everyone is getting for this worthy cause! Below is a growing list of the media coverage received so far:

Quit Week set for June 9-15

It’s Quitting Time in North Dakota, a statewide campaign aimed at increasing awareness about the risks associated with commercial tobacco and alternative nicotine products while also urging North Dakotans to commit to quitting. This marks the fifth year that Tobacco Free North Dakota and various tobacco prevention and control partners in the state have collaborated on this initiative.

Neil Charvat, Tobacco Prevention and Control Director, North Dakota Health and Human Services, emphasizes the importance of seeking assistance in developing a personalized quit plan, whether through healthcare providers, pharmacists, local public health units, or NDQuits. Over a three-year period, participants in NDQuits who were exclusive e-cigarette users had a 30-day quit rate of 40%.

Creating a plan helps individuals quit commercial tobacco or alternative nicotine products by preparing for potential relapses and identifying triggers to prevent them.

Despite being the leading cause of preventable deaths in North Dakota and the United States, many North Dakotans persist in using tobacco and e-cigarettes. Use of these products poses severe health risks, including various cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses such as COPD.

Statistics from the North Dakota Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System reveal that 15% of North Dakota adults smoke cigarettes, with 1,000 deaths annually attributed to tobacco use. North Dakotans are urged to prioritize their health and well-being by breaking free from dependence on commercial tobacco and alternative nicotine products.

“The partnership displayed during Quit Week signifies our collective commitment to empowering individuals to break free from the grip of commercial tobacco and nicotine products. By joining forces, we aim to provide comprehensive support and resources to those seeking to end their dependence, fostering healthier communities and a better North Dakota,” explains Andrew Horn, Coalition Program Director for Tobacco Free North Dakota.

For those seeking assistance in quitting cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, or vaping products, resources and information are available at NDQuits or by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

Columbus and other Ohio cities sue to block ban on their tobacco regulations

Some states like California or Massachusetts are indicators for the future of tobacco policy in the United States. Others like Ohio are indicators of key battlegrounds in order to make progress.
Ohio’s legislature passed a law banning local jurisdictions from enacting its own regulations on tobacco products. Those cities are now suing to block the new law.

HEALTH GROUPS FILE SECOND LAWSUIT AGAINST THE US FDA

This isn’t the first time litigation has been needed to implement a needed rule or regulation. It is disappointing that it has gotten to this point. The FDA can end this by simply implementing the rule it has spent years finalizing.

The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC), Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), and the National Medical Association (NMA), represented by Christopher Leung of Leung Law PLLC, have filed a second lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the agency’s inaction on issuing a final rule banning menthol cigarettes. This lawsuit comes more than seven months after the FDA’s initial date for finalizing the new rule and follows the FDA’s 15-year delay in equitable policymaking. You can read the full release here.

TFND Supports #NationalDayofAction at Legacy High School Cloud Free Carnival

We had a great time supporting the Cloud Free Carnival, presented by Legacy High’s Stop the Cloud group as part of the #NationalDayofAction! The group put in a ton of work to make it a huge success!

FDA’s graphic warning labels for cigarettes are constitutional, US appeals court rules

This is a huge win. Many other countries have pictorial warnings on tobacco products. We hope this momentum will continue.

“A federal appeals court on Thursday said a U.S. government requirement that cigarette packs and advertisements contain graphic warnings about the dangers of smoking is constitutional, in a victory for the Biden administration and a defeat for the tobacco industry…”

To read the full article, click here.

New Zealand will ban disposable e-cigarettes in a bid to prevent minors from taking up the habit

New Zealand is taking decisive action against disposable e-cigarette products. CDC data show disposable products are the overwhelming choice for kids and they cause significant harm to the environment.

To read the full article, click here.

Big tobacco is trying to hide its greed behind ‘harm reduction’

The tobacco industry has a decades long history of doing whatever it can to keep itself profitable. Recently, they’ve been taking harm reduction, a necessary piece of public health, and trying to co-opt it for their products. No electronic products, dip, nicotine pouches, etc. are FDA approved to help a quit attempt. If you are looking for more information on quitting, contact your healthcare provider, local public health unit, or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW

To read the full article, click here.

New study: E-cigarette use linked to prior mental illness diagnosis among college students

From our partners at Truth Initiative: U.S. college students reporting a mental illness diagnosis within the past year had a 33% higher risk of currently using e-cigarettes when compared to those without past-year mental health conditions.

To read the full study, click here. 

10-12th graders encouraged to apply for TFND Youth Board Seat

New to TFND is the addition of a TFND Youth Board Seat!

This position is open for ND 10th, 11th and 12th graders to apply. Each term will be one year. This person will not be a voting member of the
board but will be attending monthly meetings and presenting to our board about various topics, providing a valuable youth perspective to TFND and partners.

If you’re interested, please fill out this sheet Youth TFND Board Nomination Form