State Awards Colleges Tobacco Prevention Grants

Source from:  By Brandon Bennett:, Black Hills Pioneer December 06, 2007  12/11/2007

Eleven post-secondary schools are the recipients of grants totaling $180,000 from the South Dakota Department of Health to combat tobacco use. The funding is aimed at helping schools improve and promote tobacco control. Two post-secondary institutions, Mount Marty College of Yankton and Oglala Lakota College of Kyle have adopted tobacco-free buildings and grounds policies to provide an environment that offers students, staff, and visitors the opportunity to optimize their personal wellbeing. "We also know that studies have shown that 18 to 24 year-olds have the highest smoking rate of any adult age group. These grants are designed to equip schools with the tools to help stop those alarming trends," said Dr. Gail Gray, director of health and medical services for the South Dakota Department of Health. Campus-based tobacco-use prevention programs are part of an effective strategy for reducing tobacco use by South Dakota young people. The funds may be used to enhance tobacco-free policies for buildings and grounds as well as implementing tobacco prevention programs through campus organizations and activities. Additionally, the grants encourage institutions to infuse guidelines for treating tobacco use and dependence into education provided to students in health related majors. Opportunities for funding were offered to all South Dakota public, private and tribal post-secondary institutions. The grant awards are funded by Initiated Measure 2 passed by voters in 2006. The ballot measure increased the tax on tobacco products and allocated funds to the Department of Health for tobacco prevention; $1.7 million for community and school programming, $2.17 million for tobacco cessation, and $1.13 million for public education, surveillance and administration. The Department of Health's Tobacco Control Program coordinates state efforts reduce death and disease caused by tobacco use, South Dakota's leading cause of preventable death. The program works to prevent people from starting to use tobacco products, help current tobacco users quit, and reduce nonsmokers' exposure to secondhand smoke. The programs efforts include: providing technical assistance and support to individuals, businesses, healthcare providers, and educational institutions; offering funding and support to school districts, post-secondary institutions, and community coalitions; a statewide media campaign; operation of the state's tobacco QuitLine; and conducting surveillance and program evaluation. Enditem