Tobacco Cessation

More deaths are caused yearly from tobacco than HIV AIDS, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle accidents, suicides, and murders combined.  Nicotine is more addictive than cocaine and heroin and tobacco, which is legal, is considered the most lethal drug.

However tobacco companies continue to market to youth because:

- 80% of all smokers have their first cigarette before age 18

- 1/3 of smokers begin by age 14

- Female and male adolescents are now equally likely to smoke

To begin the new initiative, on July 20 - 21 at Lee's Summit North High School, Lee's Summit CARES offered Community Intervention, Inc. Train the Trainer tobacco cessation workshops. There were eleven community professionals trained to teach two different tobacco curriculums to local youth. Those trained were Susan Coffman (Lee's Summit CARES), Laura Decourcy (Lee's Summit CARES), Harris Deutsch (Lee's Summit R-7 District Prevention Specialist), Valerie Jones (Lee's Summit North school nurse), Ben Kaufman (Preferred Healthcare) Dennis Lowe (Summit Ridge Academy), Jane McKinney (Preferred Healthcare), Jan Nelson (consultant), Joni O’Neill. (Lee's Summit West counselor), Diane Strate (Lee's Summit Medical Center educator) Amy Wilson, (Lee's Summit R-7 District Prevention Specialist).

The two classes available are Tobacco Education Group (TEG) and Tobacco Awareness Group (TAP).

TEG is a practical program that can be used to deal positively with a student who has violated a school or city tobacco policy. TEG encourages teens to adopt healthier lifestyles and, cut down or quit tobacco use, and join a voluntary tobacco cessation program. It is an eight session program designed for youth who do not want to quit.

TAP is a comprehensive tobacco cessation curriculum addressing both smoking and spit tobacco. TAP is an eight session program that provides information, self assessment and challenging assignments to help youth who want to stop using tobacco products.

Both programs are free and expenses are covered through the Baptist Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation, the Robert Little Memorial Fund and individual donations. To find out more about the classes or to donate funds to help youth not begin smoking or to quit call Roby Little at 816.347.3298. As a community, it is time to admit that tobacco use by our youth is a deadly issue.