Handsel Art
PRESS RELEASE
Date:
For Immediate Release
Contact: J.R. Few at
(870) 427-1365 or email
Youth Outreach Focused
Public health advocates throughout the state gathered at
remote sites for a teleconference hosted by the Arkansas Department of Health for
the unofficial launching of the ASPIRE (A Smoking Prevention
Interactive Experience) youth tobacco prevention and cessation program last
week. The interactive multi media curriculum was developed by The University of
Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and funded by the National Cancer Institute. Youth or people working with youth tobacco
issues can visit the ASPIRE site on line for a self paced learning experience
about tobacco and nicotine addiction.
The site combines interactive animation as well as video clips to focus
on issues many young people may have with tobacco.
“9 out of 10 smokers and spitters
became nicotine addicts as teens," says
The conference originated in
Local activist J.R. Few notes that, “This is a pretty
informative site. But until our policy
makers affect measures that de-normalize tobacco: taxes, tobacco free space,
and marketing reform, we’re still challenging an industry with limitless
resources and no shame.”
The April edition of Nature published research from the MD
Anderson Cancer Center joining two other studies identifying a genetic link to smoking
behavior, nicotine addiction, and lung cancer.
A link to ASPIRE can be found at the Youth page of www.tobaccofreemc.com.
Dr. Carolyn Dresler, chief medical
officer for the Arkansas Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and
Cessation Program multitasks from
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