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CENTURY
Yale University
School of Medicine
SAC-203
Connecticut
Mental Health Center
34 Park Street
New Haven, CT 06519

Phone:
203-974-7591

Fax:
203-974-7606

E-mail:
infocentury@yale.edu

 

 

 

 

Setting Priorities for

Connecticut Tobacco

Control:

Agenda for Action

 

On May 18, 2004, a group of tobacco control and cancer control policy makers met with researchers to start the process of assessing Connecticut's tobacco control policy and prioritize steps for action. The goal was to identify strategies proven to reduce tobacco use, evaluate how to reduce smoking in Connecticut, and determine who can help accomlish that goal. The information gathered at the meeting will be used to help further state tobacco control efforts, including developing the tobacco section of the state comprehensive cancer plan.

Featured speakers included Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Attorney General, Cheryl Mayeran, the Connecticut State Department of Public Health; Danny McGoldrick from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: Sarah Shafir, American Cancer Society, New England Division. For more information, please see the agenda or the recent article that ran in the Yale Bulletin.

To find out more about upcoming events related to this process, please contact Jerold Mande at jerold.mande@yale.edu or Dr. Jody Sindelar at jody.sindelar@yale.edu.

Jerold R. Mande , M.P.H., lecturer in public health, was named associate director for policy at the Yale Cancer Center in September. His initial goal is to define Yale's role in the Connecticut Cancer Control Plan in conjunction with the Connecticut Cancer Partnership. Before coming to Yale, Mande served on the White House staff as an advisor and was senior advisor and executive assistant to the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Jody Sindelar, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the division of Health Policy & Administration in the School of Public Health at Yale University. Dr. Sindelar specializes in applying economic principles to health issues. Dr. Sindelar is the principal investigator for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, which includes three projects. One project will analyze the impact of smoking on worker productivity. Another will conduct an economic evaluation of a new smoking cessation treatment being developed at CENTURY. The third will examine the role that life changes have on decisions for older individuals to quit smoking. The research will provide a basis for developing public and private policies regarding tobacco control.


Help us establish the basis for future positive developments for tobacco control in Connecticut.

 

Sponsors include:

the Center for Nicotine and Tobacco Use Research at Yale,

the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center,

the Yale Cancer Center,

the Connecticut Cancer Partnership,

C-Change,

the Yale School of Public Health,

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

and the Yale University School of Medicine

Here are some documents that participants may find useful to review:

(Most of the documents listed below require the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in to be installed on your browser. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed click here to download and install the plug-in)

Maximizing the Impact of Tobacco Policy, May 18, 2004. Powerpoint presentation. 3,660 kb.

This is Danny McGoldrick's presentation at the May 18 meeting. He explained policies that make a difference, including tobacco excise tax i, increases, restrictions on secondhand smoke, coverage for smoking cessation services, funding for comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation programs, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. He also talked about how Connecticut is doing and what more can be done in the state.

 

Connecticut Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Plan, 2002. 102 pages. 719 kb.

"The public health and economic needs for implementing a comprehensive tobacco use prevention and control plan are clear. Tobacco-related diseases and deaths have taken a staggering toll on the health of smokers and non-smokers alike; the social and emotional health of residents continues to be diminished, and the associated economic costs deplete valuable resources. Cognizant of these needs, the Legislature provided funding for the Departments of Public Health (DPH) and Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to jointly develop a comprehensive Connecticut Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Plan (Plan)."

Tobacco Section of the Connecticut Cancer Plan. 2004. 3 pages. 84.5 kb.

"Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Connecticut. That could be changed if people modified their lifestyles. About a third of cancers are related to the use of tobacco. Another third are associated with diet. Certain other cancers are caused by infections, such as cervical cancer and human papilloma virus, that could be prevented through changing behaviors. Many skin cancers result from exposure to the sun and to ultraviolet rays in tanning salons. However, changing behaviors is not an easy task. The Prevention Committee studied data on the causes of the most common types of cancer, determined the critical areas of burden and of high-risk populations and assessed gaps in present programming to determine its goals and objectives for the Connecticut Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan."

Danny McGoldrick's presentation. May 18, 2004. PowerPoint. 11.2 mb.

" I lost my grandmother to lung cancer when I was seven. She lived with us through her illness, and harrowing as it may have been, I realize today how privileged I was to see her through the fight. I went along to many of her treatments, where the doctors let us watch grandma get sucked into the 'tube' for radiation, or wait for her to finish vomiting from the chemo. I'd find waste baskets full of her hair in the bathroom we shared, and I knew why it was there instead of on her head. There was little done to shield my sister and I from the realities of cancer. We knew we were watching our grandmother die. ... The cancer spread to her brain, and when our care was not enough, she went to live with the nuns that would let her go as she wanted. It was fast, but not nearly enough to spare her pain."

Tobacco Control in State Cancer Plans—A State-by-State Review, 2003. 67 pages. 719 kb.

"During the summers of 2002 and 2003, the National Dialogue on Cancer’s state tobacco funding task force surveyed each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine each state’s progress in developing a CCC plan. The task force was particularly interested in how tobacco prevention was addressed in each plan. Tobacco use is responsible for more than 400,000 premature deaths each year in the United States. It is the leading risk factor for lung cancer, has been linked to several other cancers, and places a severe financial burden on society. Direct health care expenses alone cost $75 billion annually. The results of the survey were gathered through comprehensive searches of state health department Web sites and, when needed, conversations with representatives from each state; these results are presented in this report. Information related to tobacco use and control strategies are highlighted. Each state was given an opportunity to review and comment on the section of the report that relates to its comprehensive cancer plan."

Effectiveness of community-based tobacco interventions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2 pages. 64.2 kb.

"Effectiveness of community-based tobacco interventions within three areas of tobacco use prevention and control:
1) Preventing tobacco product use initiation,
2) Increasing cessation
3) Reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS)."

Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs, August 1999. 95 pages. 432 kb.

"In this guidance document, CDC [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommends that States establish tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustainable, and accountable. This document draws upon “best practices” determined by evidence-based analyses of comprehensive State tobacco control programs. Evidence supporting the programmatic recommendations in this guidance document are of two types. Recommendations for chronic disease programs to reduce the burden of tobacco-related diseases, school programs, cessation programs, enforcement, and counter-marketing program elements
are based primarily upon published evidence-based practices. Other program categories rely mainly upon the evidence of the efficacy of the large-scale and sustained efforts of two States (California and Massachusetts) that have been funding comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs using State tobacco excise taxes."

Press release from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on smoking rate decline in city, May 2004. 5 pages. 73 kb.

NEW YORK CITY – May 12, 2004 – The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) today announced an 11% decline in the number of smokers in New York City from 2002 to 2003. This decline came after a decade of limited progress in tobacco control in New York City and nationally and constitutes the fastest drop in smoking rates ever recorded nationally. New data collected by the survey unit at Baruch College on tobacco use and a variety of other health issues showed that the proportion of New Yorkers who smoke dropped to 19% in 2003, down from 22% in 2002 (survey margin of error +/- 1%). This drop represents 100,000 fewer New Yorkers smoking in 2003 compared with 2002.

Preventing 3 Million Premature Deaths Helping 5 Million Smokers Quit: A National Action Plan for Tobacco Cessation, February 2003. 41 pages. 340 kb .

We face a national imperative to address tobacco use in America. A confluence of circumstances and events makes this an ideal time to take bold, effective steps to reduce tobacco use. At a time when healthcare dollars are scarce, we are spending billions of dollars to treat diseases caused by tobacco use. At a time when numerous effective tobacco dependence treatments exist, millions of tobacco users are unable to obtain or afford such treatments. At a time when sound scientific research reveals how to reduce tobacco use, funding sources such as the Master Settlement Agreement are being used to address budget shortfalls, not to implement effective tobacco control programs. Unless the prevalence of tobacco use is cut dramatically, about 24 million Americans, 1 out of 2 current smokers in America, will die prematurely of a disease directly caused by their dependence on tobacco. This report outlines a series of feasible, science-based action steps to promote tobacco cessation. These steps involve both Federal initiatives as well as public-private partnerships that will, at a minimum prevent approximately three million premature deaths and help five million Americans cease tobacco use within one year.

U.S. SURGEONS GENERAL ENDORSE PLAN TO REDUCE SMOKING, SAVE 3 MILLION LIVES, American Journal of Public Health publishes 10-point action plan, Feb. 2003. 2 pages. 80 kb.

Top public health organizations came together today to announce a National Action Plan to address tobacco’s toll in the United States, especially on minority and lower-income Americans. The 10-point action plan provides the necessary steps -- both federal initiatives and public-private partnerships -- to help five million Americans quit smoking within one year, and ultimately, prevent approximately three million premature deaths. The plan, A National Action Plan for Tobacco Cessation, is featured in the February edition of the American Journal of Public Health, released today, which is devoted to tobacco and disparities. In addition to the action plan, the journal also includes an editorial by three former U.S. surgeons general endorsing the plan.

Tobacco Prevention and Control Plan Stratford. A plan built by Residents, Businesses, Churches and Organizations Serving Stratford. 8 pages. 2,610 kb.

Residents and members of Stratford organizations and businesses have been working together to develop a Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Control Plan for the town. The goal of the planning process was to identify effective local interventions to help reduce tobacco use and protect residents from second-hand smoking. What resulted is Stratford’s comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Control Plan.

Speaker Biographies:

 

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal

Richard Blumenthal Term: 1991-present Richard Blumenthal was first elected to serve as Connecticut's 23rd Attorney General in 1990, re-elected in 1994 and 1998, and then re-elected to an unprecedented fourth term in 2002. Since his first term, Attorney General Blumenthal has been a tireless advocate for consumers, the environment, our children and the civil rights of Connecticut's citizens. The Attorney General's leadership and innovative use of his office have helped to stop the hostile takeover of New Britain-based Stanley Works, a major Connecticut employer, drastically reduce unjustified utility rate increases, stop chronic polluters from endangering people's health, and protect consumers from misuse of their charitable donations. Attorney General Blumenthal has personally argued in court on critical issues affecting Connecticut's citizens, including defending the State's ban on assault weapons and its welfare-reform law. He also has saved taxpayers money through aggressive litigation, forced companies violating consumers' rights to reimburse them, enforced measures to reduce health insurance fraud through the creation of a health care fraud unit, and worked to preserve access to quality health care and protect the rights of senior citizens.

Attorney General Blumenthal has been a leader in the fight against the tobacco industry, initiating legal action, legislation and other measures to combat its deceptive marketing -- aimed particularly at children -- and Big Tobacco's campaign to suppress the truth about the disease and addiction it causes. The Attorney General was at the forefront of seeking a comprehensive national measure through the courts and Congress to reduce teen tobacco use and reimburse taxpayers for tobacco-caused medical costs.

He has further sought to protect children by aggressively enforcing abuse and neglect protections, and pursuing parents who owe child support payments -- in many cases, tens of thousands of dollars. The Attorney General's "Wanted" Posters, coupled with arrest sweeps of delinquent debtors and other initiatives, have helped to apprehend hundreds of deadbeat parents.

Before being elected Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal was a member of the Connecticut State Senate from 1987 to 1990, and the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1984 to 1987. Richard Blumenthal also served as United States Attorney for Connecticut from 1977 to 1981. His leadership as the chief federal prosecutor in our State resulted in the successful prosecution of many major cases against drug traffickers, organized crime, white collar criminals, civil rights violators, consumer frauds and environmental polluters. Attorney General Blumenthal also served as administrative assistant to United States Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff, as aide to United States Senator Daniel P. Moynihan when Moynihan was Assistant to the President of the United States, and as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun. From 1981 to 1986, he was a volunteer counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Attorney General Blumenthal graduated with honors from Harvard College (Phi Beta Kappa; Magna Cum Laude) and Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law Journal. He also served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. Attorney General Blumenthal lives in Greenwich with his wife, Cynthia, and their four children. The Attorney General can be reached via e-mail at Attorney.General@po.state.ct.us, or constituents may view the Attorney General's Web page at http://www.cslib.org/attygenl

Cheryl Mayeran

Cheryl Mayeran recently became the project manager for the Connecticut Department of Public Health's Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program. She oversees the administration of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's grant to expand and enhance the Department's efforts to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, prevention youth initiation, improve cessation among adults, and youth, and to identify and address the needs of people who are disproportionately affected by smoking and secondhand smoke. Significant efforts have been made by the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program to address the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke. Cheryl's main focus is on enhancing existing collaborations with national, state and local partners and to identify new partners, providing technical assistance to legislators and addressing efforts to sustain the state program during difficult financial times. Cheryl has been with the Connecticut Department of Public Health for nine years. She holds a Master of Public Health – Health Services Administration from Boston University – School of Medicine/School of Public Health.

Daniel E. McGoldrick

Danny McGoldrick is the Director of Research for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a privately-funded organization established to focus the nation's attention and action on reducing tobacco use among children.

Mr. McGoldrick's Research Department conducts secondary and primary research to support the advocacy and communication efforts of the Campaign. The research focuses on message development and testing for communications, monitoring public opinion, policy analysis, and producing information on tobacco industry marketing practices and their effects. The results are used in the development and refining of Campaign strategies and tactics, as well in the creation of fact sheets, briefing papers, and media materials.

Mr. McGoldrick also provides support and technical assistance to the states as they design and implement comprehensive tobacco prevention programs. In this role, he and his department have developed numerous materials on the need for these programs as well as on their key components and effectiveness. In addition to consulting with state advocates and health departments on these programs, he has provided testimony in state legislatures and in public hearings.

Mr. McGoldrick has more than a dozen years of experience conducting marketing and communications research.  Prior to joining the Campaign, he was Director of Health Communications Research for Prospect Associates, a health communications firm in Rockville, Maryland. While at Prospect, Mr. McGoldrick conducted research in support of numerous health communications campaigns including: the National Cancer Institute's 5-A-Day campaign to encourage people to eat five fruits and vegetables each day; a community-based campaign to increase early treatment-seeking behavior among people with HIV; the USDA's Team Nutrition, a school-based program to encourage healthy eating among kids; and the CDC's Nutrition and Physical Activity Campaign (NUPAC).

Before joining Prospect, Mr. McGoldrick was an Account Group Manager at Market Facts, Inc., a leading marketing research firm. For more than ten years, he directed consumer research for a variety of commercial and government clients in the areas of health, telecommunications, advertising, financial services, and others.

Mr. McGoldrick received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Georgia and a Master of Arts, also in Political Science, from Michigan State University.

Sarah Shafir

Currently, Sarah Shafir serves as the State Vice President for Cancer Control in Connecticut for the New England Division of the American Cancer Society. Sarah is responsible for state level planning, implementation and evaluation of cancer control programs and services, ensuring the delivery of cancer control initiatives through community mobilization and systems strategies. Prior to her work with the American Cancer Society, Sarah worked for the State of Maine's Bureau of Health as the Director of the Tobacco Control Program. In this position, Sarah was responsible for managing the state's largest public health program, funded by the Master Settlement Agreement and the cigarette excise tax as well as establishing a comprehensive tobacco control program which included a media and public relations component, tobacco cessation component, community and school program component and a surveillance and evaluation component. Sarah's particular areas of interest are in community organizing, public health planning and assessment, and primary prevention strategies including tobacco control, nutrition and physical activity promotion. Sarah has been with the American Cancer Society for 2 years. She has a Master of Public Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana.