Tobacco Use

Program Description:

After completing the Maine Helper’s Program you will have the skills you need to start conversations with people who use tobacco.

The Maine Helper’s Program training will be conducted by Maureen Higgins a Cancer Health Outreach Educator at The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing, Vicky Wiegman a Substance Abuse Counselor/Coordinator at Lewiston Public School and Emily Dooling a Tobacco Coordinator at Healthy Androscoggin. All three are Certified Helpers Trainers.

You will:

· Be aware of opportunities to talk about tobacco use and have practical ways to start conversations about quitting tobacco.

· Understand what motivates someone to consider quitting tobacco and identify their readiness to take action.

· Be able to help people who have an interest in quitting by offering referrals, information about successful strategies for quitting and self-help resources.

Who Should Attend:

Worksite Wellness Coordinators, Human Resource & Employee Health personnel, clergy, friends and family members of tobacco users.

Cost: FREE

Dates: June 5th and June 12th (MUST attend both dates to become certified).

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Location: Healthy Androscoggin, 130 East Ave, Lewiston

Registration: Please call Healthy Androscoggin at (207) 795-5990 or email doolinem@cmhc.org.

Pre-registration is required by June 4th.

For Quitters

www.thequitlink.com

  • Call the Maine Tobacco HelpLine 1-800-207-1230

Have you been thinking about quitting smoking or looking for additional support to stay tobacco-free?  Check out Healthy Androscoggin’s weekly Tobacco Support Group Thursday evenings from 6-7pm in the Diabetes Room at St. Mary’s Auburn Campus (behind the Auburn Mall).  The group is free, open to the public and no preregistration is required.  For more information about the support group call Healthy Androscoggin at 795-5990 or email info@healthyandroscoggin.org.

A support program to help people maintain their New Year’s Resolution to become tobacco-free, which runs every January and February and is open to adults. Those who quit for the five weeks of the program are eligible for prizes including cash awards.

  • New Resource Guide

Healthy Androscoggin is pleased to announce our new “Quitting Tobacco Resource Guide.”  What you see is only the front page.  If you’re interested in ordering the guide please click on the “Helpful Resource/Order Form” or call 795-5990.

For Youth/Schools

A tobacco-free education program and poster contest for 5th graders. The number of 5th grade students reached by Tar Wars has increased to 90% since the program was first offered in 1995.

For Providers

State and Local initiatives

  • Healthy Androscoggin helped Bates College go smoke-free in 2004.
  • Smoke-Free Housing is dedicated to increasing the number of smoke-free housing opportunities in Maine.
  • Healthy Androscoggin supports initiatives to eliminate smoking on hospital property.

The Data:

  • Nearly 20% of 11th and 12th graders in Androscoggin County used cigarettes within the last month1. The Healthy Maine 20102 target for adolescent smoking is 15%.
  • 24.5% of Androscoggin County residents smoke; this is higher than the percentage for Maine (20.9%)3, the U.S. (20%)4 and the Healthy People 20105 goal of 19%.
  • The most prevalent causes of death in Androscoggin County are heart disease, cancer and stroke6, which are all increased by tobacco use3.

1 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey 2006
2 Healthy Maine 2010 is collection of health goals and objectives to be achieved in Maine by 2010
3 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2004-2005
4 National Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Prevalence Data 2006
5 Healthy People 2010 is a national health promotion and disease prevention initiative which seeks to increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities in the U.S. throughout the first decade of the 21st century
6 Vital Records, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

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