Caroline County Health Department
SMOKING PREVENTION AND CESSATION

SCHOOL PROGRAM:

Are so fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with our public and private school system and are allowed to come into the classrooms and teach tobacco prevention from K-12th grades.
Funds are given to both schools systems to be able to purchase tobacco education curriculum and educational items and/or to have speakers on tobacco prevention.
For middle and high school students with permission from the principals and the parents of the youth involved can provide smoking cessation at the school for students wanting to quit smoking. Students are seen either before school, at lunch time, but not during educational instructional time.

COMMUNITY PROGRAM:

Provide mini-grants funds to community groups, Churches, Daycare Centers, and other organizations to do projects which have an anti-tobacco focus and educate especially minority groups such as Latino, Asian, African American, and our Indian community members about the hazards of tobacco use. In FY07 so far, 15 mini-grants have been given out.
Local Health Department staff along with help from MOTA (Minority Outreach and Technical Assistance) Union Bethel AME in Denton conducts Health Fairs at local Churches. The purpose of the Health Fairs is to educate minority Churches and the community at large about the Health Department smoking cessation program and other cancer-screening programs.

ENFORCEMENT:

Caroline County is fortunate to be able to have a Teen-Court which is funded by the Cigarette Restitution Fund Program and the Caroline County Local Management Board. The program is run by Deputy Jim Gossage of the Caroline County Sheriff's Department under the direction of Sheriff Philip Brown. Teen-Court is a program for Teens run by Teens. Youth mainly receive citations for underage use of tobacco products, but can also receive citations for alcohol possession or fighting or other minor offenses. Teen-Court is held twice a month in the Circuit Courthouse in Denton. Student volunteers act as the Court staff overseen by Deputy Gossage. Youth who come to Court for smoking violations must attend mandatory smoking education classes at the Health Department in addition to receiving community service hours and serving on future jury duties.
Vendor education is also done by Deputy Gossage and outreach worker Mary Jo Carpenter once a month in which they visit establishments in Caroline County who sell tobacco products to make sure vendors and their employees are aware of local tobacco laws and that they do not sell tobacco products to those under the age of 18.

CESSATION:

The Caroline County Health Department Offers FREE Smoking Cessation Programs below:

Tuesday Evenings

5:45-7 PM Health Department, Denton, MD

(HAPS Building) 403 S. 7th Street, 2ND Floor Meeting Room 220

To pre-register or for more information please

Call 410-479-8080. If you are coming for the first time,

Please come at 5 PM.

Wednesday Mornings

11:30-12:30 Health Department, Denton, MD

(HAPS Building) 403 S. 7th Street 2nd Floor Meeting Room 220