January 2011

• President's Corner: Looking Ahead at 2011
• Legacy to Launch New Educational Video, "Lung Cancer Screening: Ask the Experts"
• ALA Releases "State of Tobacco Control 2010"
• New Year, New Look for BecomeAnEx.org
• New Study Examines Effectiveness of Internet and Telephone Cessation Treatment
• Young Adults Respond to truth® 
• Thought Leadership Continues in 2011 with the Kenneth E. Warner Lecture Series
• Scholarship Funding Available for Students
• Youth Fellows Convene to Discuss Next Steps in Tobacco Control Project
• Federal Court Ruling on Tobacco Graphic Warning Signs a Setback for New York Consumers 
• Ohio Supreme Court Rules to Allow State to Dissolve Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Programs

President's Corner 

As we move into the New Year, Legacy applauds the aggressive calls-to-action for public health groups set forth by the leadership now being shown by the federal government on tobacco control.  Late last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Healthy People 2020 objectives, providing evidence-based national goals for the next decade to improve public health in the United States.  The U.S. Surgeon General then released the 2010 report, How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease, confirming why it is critical that the nation take a bold stance addressing the issue of tobacco - as "every cigarette does you damage."   

In the same month as these two announcements, new data was released by the nation's barometer for youth smoking prevalence. The Monitoring the Future survey found that the once-historic decline in youth smoking has stagnated and although the increase did not reach statistical significance, smoking rates were higher this year among 8th and 10th graders.

Read Dr. Cheryl Healton's blog post and share your thoughts.

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Legacy to Launch New Educational Video, "Lung Cancer Screening: Ask the Experts" on BecomeAnEx.org in Early 2011
Recent research confirming that low dose helical computed tomography (CT) scans can significantly reduce lung cancer mortality has public health leaders optimistic about detecting and treating this deadly tobacco-related disease.

In 2011, Legacy received a grant from Genentech, A Member of the Roche Group, to launch a new online video education program on BecomeAnEX.org called "Lung Cancer Screening: Ask the Experts."

The video will allow the more than 300,000 registered smokers and former smokers on BecomeAnEX.org -- and all smokers and former smokers -- the opportunity to learn about spiral CT lung cancer screening from physician experts to better understand if they should seek screening and what to discuss with their physician at their appointment.

 
Downloadable materials will also be made available to the public in both English and Spanish as part of this educational initiative. 
 

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States Should Invest in a Tobacco-Free Future

This month, the American Lung Association (ALA) released its State of Tobacco Control 2010 report showing that states must do more to reduce the deadly toll tobacco has on our nation. Leaders in public health and state government know what it takes to save lives, yet, the report shows that the passage of smoke-free laws has stalled, and states are continuing to close budget gaps through redirecting Master Settlement Agreement funds and tobacco tax receipts away from lifesaving state tobacco prevention and control programs.  

More than eight million Americans suffer from tobacco-related disease, resulting in an estimated $193 billion in direct health care costs and lost productivity each year. Reducing funding for effective state programs may save money initially, but states will pay a high cost down the road in both dollars and lives lost.

Read Legacy's full statement here or watch the NBC News clip on the ALA's report.

"States failing to curb tobacco use" - NBC News 7, Boston, MA

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New Year, New Look for BecomeAnEX.org
It is now easier to "Become an EX" in 2011. BecomeAnEX.org underwent a site refresh, featuring a brighter and cleaner look and feel. The site has also been reorganized to target new visitors by better introducing the EX® Plan and what it offers to smokers who are looking to quit. As part of the revamp, the "My Profile" section is more personalized and serves as the home page for logged-in and registered users. The site navigation has also been improved to make it easier for users to get where they need to go. Visit www.BecomeAnEx.org to see the changes and share the link with your network.

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New Study Examines Effectiveness of Internet and Telephone Cessation Treatment
The Internet is a powerful delivery channel that has the potential to reach millions of smokers who are looking for help in quitting smoking. The addition of proactive telephone counseling to an Internet intervention may improve quit rates and reduce relapse. Both services are increasingly being offered to consumers statewide and nationally. However, to date there have been few randomized trials of the efficacy of Internet interventions for smoking cessation, or of combined telephone/Internet treatment.  A study published on January 10, 2011 in the Archives of Internal Medicine addresses this gap.

Researchers at Georgetown University and the Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies at the American Legacy Foundation examined the effectiveness of Internet treatment and combined Internet and proactive telephone counseling. Smokers looking for assistance on the Internet were randomized to QuitNet.com; QuitNet.com plus proactive telephone counseling provided by National Jewish Health; or an information-only comparison condition. Results indicated that the combined Internet and telephone intervention outperformed the other two treatment options early in the study, yielding quit rates of about 20 percent that were maintained over time. By the 18- month follow-up, there were no treatment group differences, with 20 percent abstinent in all three treatment options, suggesting that the effects of Internet treatment may accumulate over time.

The researchers concluded that given the broad reach and demonstrated effectiveness of these treatment modalities, the potential population impact of Internet and combined Internet/telephone treatment is high and could play an important role in reducing the prevalence of smoking in the US.

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Young Adults Respond to truth®

A study in the December issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the reach of truth extends beyond its primary audience of youth ages 12-17. The research found that young adults ages 18-24 were aware of the campaign and that their awareness was associated with roughly half of the anti-smoking attitudes and beliefs related to the messages of truth. These findings suggest that truth possibly promotes attitudinal and behavior change among young adults. The authors of the article, titled "Evidence for truth: The Young Adult Response to a Youth-Focused Anti-Smoking Media Campaign," analyzed data on young adult respondents from eight Legacy Media Tracking Surveys.

Results showed that awareness of the truth campaign reached as high as 68 percent among young adults aged 18-24 years old. Several of the attitudes and beliefs targeted by the campaign were associated with the intention to not smoke (among non-smokers) and to quit (among smokers).

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Thought Leadership Continues in 2011 with the Kenneth E. Warner Lecture Series
Though paid tobacco advertising was banned from television 40 years ago, how does the depiction of smoking on popular television shows impact today's youth? This is one of many issues that Legacy and its partners will address during the first lecture in the 2011 series of the Kenneth E. Warner Lectures at Legacy. Named for founding Legacy Board member and health economist Kenneth E. Warner, each year, Legacy hosts Warner Series lectures that further discussion and knowledge on topics of relevance to public health and

March 2010 Warner Series on Youth Marketing

tobacco control.  

Scholarship Funding Available for Students with Background in Arts and Tobacco Control Activism

Applications are now being accepted for the annual Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarship for Outreach and Health Communications to Reduce Tobacco Use among Priority Populations. The scholarship will award $5,000 each for up to two candidates to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States. The award will be granted on a competitive basis to a candidate who shows financial need; exemplifies a record of commitment to community service on behalf of an underserved community; and illustrates the best use of the visual arts, media, or creative writing to convey culturally appropriate health messages, specifically those aimed at raising awareness of tobacco's harmful impact.

Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2011. 

The scholarship was created in honor of Dr. Alma S. Adams, a professor of art at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, N.C., and a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives since 1994. Throughout her legislative career, Adams has spearheaded efforts to support families, particularly children's programs. She served as a founding member of Legacy's Board of Directors, where she diligently pursued the concerns of underserved populations that are traditionally heavily marketed by the tobacco industry. For additional information on the Dr. Alma S. Adams Scholarship and to download an application, click here.

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Youth Fellows Convene to Discuss Next Steps in Tobacco Control Project
As part of the Legacy Youth Activism Fellowship Program (YAF), aspiring leaders in the tobacco control movement were brought together as part of an 18-month program to train young adult tobacco control advocates and build leadership among young adult advocates in the tobacco-prevention and tobacco-control fields. Throughout the term, the fellows engage in both individual and group advocacy projects to promote tobacco control and prevention at the local, regional, state and national levels.

This month, the group met in San Jose, Calif.  Currently, the Fellows are engaged in a national project with the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network (NAATPN).  Through the initiative, fellows are scanning churches and historically black colleges to determine the status and need of tobacco prevention and cessation education and resources in these communities.  With this information, NAAPTN will be able to better serve these communities, which typically can have less access to resources, and develop interventions to engage them in tobacco control initiatives. For more information about the YAF efforts, please contact Reggie Moore at Legacy, 202-454-5552, rmoore@legacyforhealth.org.

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Federal Court Ruling on Tobacco Graphic Warning Signs Setback for New York Consumers
 A ruling issued in last month by a federal judge striking down New York City's requirement that retailers post point-of-sale graphic warnings regarding tobacco is a setback for smokers trying to quit and for consumers not fully aware of the dangers of tobacco products.

On Wednesday, December 30, 2010, a federal judge ruled that New York City health officials violated of federal law by requiring retail outlets that sell cigarettes to post graphic warnings depicting the health consequences of smoking, along with information to help smokers find cessation services. The ruling asserts that New York City's requirement that retailers post such warnings is in violation of the pre-emption provisions of the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act - an act that, among other things, restricts the authority of states to regulate tobacco advertising and promotion. However, New York City officials maintain that the signage requirement does not involve tobacco advertising and promotion and is legal under the June 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products and clarified the rights of states and localities to regulate the terms and conditions of tobacco sales.

Legacy issued a statement supporting the NYC requirement as a legally permissible and  evidence-based intervention that will help reduce tobacco's devastating impact on the public health. Legacy took the lead on the public health amicus brief in the lower court and will do so again in support of New York City's appeal.

Read Legacy's full statement.

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Ohio Supreme Court Rules to Allow State to Dissolve Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Programs
In a devastating loss to smokers and young people in Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that the state had the authority to shut down the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation (OTPF) in 2008 and divert Ohio's share of tobacco settlement funds to other budget items. For the state that ranks dead last in the amount of money it devotes to tackling smoking, the number one preventable cause of death, Ohio residents who need help quitting now have even fewer options. The ruling upholds the December 2009 decision of the Ohio Court of Appeals of Franklin County, Tenth Appellate District that reversed a lower court's order permanently enjoining the State from dissolving the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Endowment Fund. 

The Supreme Court ruling represents a major step backward in the effort spearheaded by Legacy and others to safeguard the state's tobacco prevention money for its intended purpose: to save Ohioans' lives.  The decision whether to re-instate the tobacco prevention and cessation programs now lies with the new governor and Ohio's legislature.

Read the full release which includes a timeline of activity related to the Ohio funding dispute.

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Legacy Thanks All of Our Supporters!
In 2010 Legacy received generous donations from many individuals and organizations to help support our proven-effective prevention and cessation programs. We are enormously grateful for the heartfelt generosity of our supporters. Your help provides us with vital resources to allow us to build a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. 

Lung Cancer Alliance and Legacy to Host Panel Discussion on Lung Cancer 

Legacy and Lung Cancer Alliance will join forcers on February 2, 2011 from 9 to 11 a.m. for a moderated panel discussion on the impact of lung cancer on society, particularly among minority groups and our military & veterans community. Other topics will include the challenges, gaps and opportunities in public health strategies to reduce lung cancer mortality today. Susan Dentzer, editor in chief of Health Affairs is scheduled to moderate the discussion, which will be held at the Kaiser Family Foundation, Barbara Johnson Conference Center in Washington, DC. 

Watch the webcast here on Feb. 2, 2011:
http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/shadowswebcast

RSVP to attend by emailing Denitra Kitchell at DKitchell@lungcanceralliance.org.

Speaker List:
Barbara Campling, MD, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD, Brigham & Womens Hospital
Cheryl Healton, Dr. PH, President & CEO, Legacy
Christopher Lathan, MD, MS, MPH, Harvard Medical School
James Mulshine, MD, Associate Provost for Research & Vice President for Research Rush

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