Cecil County
Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program

Community Coalition

The Cecil County Community Health Advisory Committee established the Tobacco Task Force to promote efforts that prevent and reduce tobacco use in Cecil County. The Tobacco Task Force meets quarterly to review the Local Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program's action plan and monitor the plan's progress.

Community

Increase the community's awareness of local tobacco use prevention and cessation resources and services using educational programs and campaigns. Through community partnerships and vendors, public service announcements have been aired and advertisements have been published in the local newspapers and in Union Hospital's Good Health newsletter.
Increase the number of secondhand smoke education activities and Smoke Free Families Programs provided to pregnant mothers and families with young children.
Identify and eliminate the disparities related to tobacco use among different population groups by providing outreach, training and mini-grants to community volunteers.

School Based

Maintain tobacco use prevention activities for Cecil County youth by collaborating with local preschool programs, family childcare providers, public schools, private schools and Cecil Community College.

Enforcement

Prevent the initiation of tobacco use among young people by educating local law enforcement officers about the dangers of tobacco use. Provide law enforcement officers with updates on tobacco legislation and policies/procedures for tobacco vendor compliance checks; continue contracts with law enforcement agencies to conduct tobacco vendor education and compliance checks. In collaboration with the Board of Cecil County Commissioners, the Board of [Liquor] License Commissioners and the Accidents and Tobacco Task Forces, "No Sell Date" calendars were distributed to all tobacco vendors.

Cessation

Increase the number of county residents who cease use of tobacco products by promoting the following tobacco cessation services:

-Free Nicotine Patch and Gum Program to eligible Cecil County residents
-Teen Tobacco Awareness
-Pre-Quitting Session
-One-to-One Consultations;
-Tools to Be Tobacco Free Program
                 Phase I:    Learn to Be Tobacco Free
                 Phase II:   Ready to be Tobacco Free
                 Phase III: How to Cope Without the Smoke.

Encourage health care providers to offer educational materials to their patients who smoke and to refer patients to local cessation resources.