Tobacco Control Program

Mission

The Tobacco Control Program (TCP) works to create changes in social, political, and physical environments to make it harder for people to start using, and to continue using, tobacco. The program provides services that will help smokers quit, and uses multiple strategies to reduce smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. Positive changes have been realized by collecting and sharing information and data with advocates (Tobacco Control Network), and by supporting passage of legislation that will serve as the catalyst in restricting sales to minors and raising excise taxes on tobacco products. Environments will become healthier places to live and work by enforcing smokefree laws, and eliminating smoking in workplaces and multi-unit dwellings. TCP also works to require health insurance coverage of cessation services, provide quit smoking services for the uninsured, and implementing counter-marketing campaigns to counter tobacco industry adversting and promotions and to reinforce the 'no-smoking' message.

2010 Accomplishments and Milestones

• Reduced tobacco use prevalence below the national average of 20% to 15% for adults making Rhode Island the 5th state in the country for the lowest adult tobacco use prevalence.
• Reduced tobacco use prevalence for youth from 20% to 13%, which is below the national average.
• Revised private health insurance mandate regulations to cover cessation services and State Medicaid coverage of recommended cessation medications.

Major Successes

• Fewer Rhode Islanders Smoke The youth smoking rate dropped from 25% to 15% and the adult smoking rate from 23% to 17% (2000-2007).
• Smoke-free Workplace Law: On June 29, 2004, Rhode Island became the seventh state in the nation to pass into law a bill that prohibits smoking in public places and workplaces in Rhode Island. (more)
• Health Insurer Coverage of Cessation Services: The August 14, 2009 passage of the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner’s Regulation 14 requires health insurers to offer broader coverage of smoking cessation services. (more)

Community Partners

• Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy
• Chariho Tri Town Task Force
• John Hope Settlement House
• Mayor's Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force
• Raising Hope, Inc.
• Urban League of Rhode Island
• Woonsocket Prevention Coalition
• Young Voices

Program Priorities

We use multiple strategies to reduce smoking, exposure to second-hand smoke, and use of other tobacco products. The program works to change the social and physical environment to make it more difficult to start and continue using tobacco, make it easier to quit; and make choosing health the easier choice. Priorities include:

• Preventing the initiation of tobacco use among young people
• Promoting quitting among young people and adults (more)
• Eliminating nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke
• Identifying and eliminating the disparities related to tobacco use and its effects among different population groups

Funding

Funding comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State of Rhode Island. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended funding levels between $10 and $22 million to conduct an effective program. Currently the program is funded well below the $10 million minimum level.