It provides funding for community-based and statewide tobacco education programs designed to reduce initiation of tobacco use by children and youth, promote cessation of tobacco use among youth and adults, and reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.
Local Impact
At the FCDPHE, the Tobacco Education, Prevention, and Cessation program is funded by Amendment 35 grants. FCDPHE is dedicated to creating a healthier community by:
- Reducing tobacco use among youth and adults through evidence-based education and outreach;
- Preventing initiation of tobacco and nicotine product use, especially among young people;
- Supporting individuals in their efforts to quit tobacco with accessible cessation resources;
- Promoting tobacco-free environments to protect community members from secondhand smoke and vape exposure;
- Collaborating with schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations to amplify impact and reach underserved populations.
Facts About Tobacco
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that tobacco use, including cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, causes over 480,000 deaths in the United States each year. This figure includes deaths from both direct smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), many people believe that vaping is safer than smoking, but both smoking and vaping have side effects and risks. The long-term health effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are not fully understood. Research indicates they are not a safe alternative to smoking, and mounting evidence suggests that vaping is dangerous. Vaping involves breathing in an aerosol that contains several chemicals, including nicotine and flavoring, through an e-cigarette or vape, which is rising among teens.
The American Cancer Society reports that when you use tobacco products regularly, you can become addicted and physically dependent. Tobacco use is not a habit, it's an addiction. Nicotine is what keeps people addicted and is in all tobacco products, making quitting hard. The average person attempts to quit about seven times before succeeding. Quitting can be difficult, but not impossible!
Tobacco Forms
Tobacco products come in a wide variety of forms, including cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, smokeless tobacco like chewing tobacco and snus, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) like e-cigarettes. These products can be smoked, chewed, or inhaled, and may contain nicotine and other chemicals.
Resources for Quitting
Do you want to quit using tobacco or nicotine? There are resources and information that can help you or your loved ones quit today.
- Colorado QuitLine
The Colorado QuitLine website offers a free service to Colorado residents 12 years and older. The QuitLine provides special online tools, a support team of coaches, and nicotine replacement therapy. The expert coaches can discuss with you how to overcome common barriers, such as managing stress, combating cravings, coping with irritability, and controlling weight gain. Individuals who use menthol tobacco or nicotine products are eligible for up to 16 weeks of free nicotine replacement products (lozenges, patches, and gum) and $50 in gift cards.
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), or visit the Colorado QuitLine website. - My Life My Quit
My Life My Quit supports individuals aged 12-17 with access to free, confidential support to quit smoking or vaping. Visit the My Life My Quit website or text "Start My Quit" to 36072. - Tobacco Free CO
Tobacco Free CO provides quitting resources, information on the tobacco problem in Colorado, and ways to get involved in the fight against tobacco. Visit Tobacco Free CO - Baby & Me Tobacco Free
The Baby & Me Tobacco Free Program offers free counseling for those who are pregnant. Those who are pregnant and their partners are eligible for vouchers for free diapers when they commit to quitting tobacco and staying tobacco-free after the baby is born. Learn more about the program - This Is Quitting
This Is Quitting is a powerful, free text message-based program for young people that places you on the path to a life free from tobacco. Visit This Is Quitting - Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing offers resources for people on Medicaid who want to quit smoking. They also have a special program called Prenatal Plus for pregnant Medicaid members who qualify. Learn more about Medicaid tobacco cessation benefits - EX Program
Whether you're ready to quit or curious about quitting, this partnership brings you 25% off all Blip products, including nicotine-free flavored toothpicks and FDA-approved nicotine gum and lozenges, for eligible users when you sign up for the EX Program. Join the EX Program
Resources for Health Care Professionals
The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment offers tobacco cessation and prevention resources and information for healthcare professionals.
For more information or any questions about cessation, please contact our Tobacco Education and Prevention Coordinator at (719) 276-7467.
