Louisiana Tobacco Control Program

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Louisiana Receives $1.5 Million Grant to Aid Tobacco Cessation

Publish date: Mar 19, 2010

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals will use a new $1.5 million grant to help fight obesity and promote smoking cessation among pregnant women in Louisiana. The CDC awarded the funding to the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program (LTCP.)

The LTCP will adhere to the goals of planning and implementing evidence-based policy and environmental changes to support healthy behaviors related to obesity, physical activity, nutrition and tobacco prevention and control.

“If we are to fight chronic diseases in Louisiana, we must concentrate on prevention,” said Tiffany Netters, Program Manager for the LTCP. “Studies have shown that the less education a person has, the more likely they are to smoke.”

The funding will allow LTCP to implement a new tobacco cessation campaign targeting pregnant women. The campaign will focus on encouraging pregnant women to utilize free cessation services provided through the Louisiana Tobacco Quitline in order to reverse alarming statistics being reported in regards to tobacco use among pregnant women and its effect on unborn children.

Through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, Louisiana’s tobacco prevalence has declined by 23 percent over the past five years.

With these grant funds, LTCP will also work to further this positive trend and begin to implement policy and environmental changes that will target the state’s obesity challenges.

Funding will be distributed to approximately 27 school districts to develop School Health Advisory Councils as mandated by Act 286 of the 2009 Regular Legislative Session.

“These funds will be used to invest in our state’s school system,” said Netters. “We will focus on effective policy changes that will increase physical activity for students, improve health education and nutrition, and promote overall student well-being.”

For more information, email LaTobaccoControl@la.com