Tobacco-free AF means healthy troops

  • Published
  • By Tom O'Brian
  • 90th Medical Operation Squadron
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  As the newly-assigned health education program manager in Warren's Health and Wellness Center, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.

I started my new job March 2. I retired from the Air Force in early 2004, and I have been a health educator for more than five years working for the Florida Department of Health.

My experiences as a health educator have been very broad and covered health-related disparities from diabetes, heart disease, stroke, fitness and nutrition to high blood pressure and other preventable diseases.

However, my specialization is more specific to tobacco use prevention and cessation, as well as behavioral modification to help folks overcome nicotine addiction.

I'm sure most people have already heard tobacco use is considered the number one most preventable cause of chronic diseases in the United States.

Despite prevention efforts to reduce tobacco rates in the Air Force, 23.2 percent of active-duty members smoke. The number of active-duty smokers at Warren, 28.2 percent, is slightly higher than the AF average.

Although the HAWC offers smoking cessation sessions and assistance, more efforts are needed to provide greater cessation opportunities within our community.

My goal for the tobacco prevention program is to offer a comprehensive and flexible cessation program by expanding our cessation efforts, while meeting the demands of the mission.

The HAWC will be providing one-on-one counseling and after-hours group cessation sessions for active-duty members, retirees and dependents.

In an effort to increase cessation opportunities for those wishing to quit, the HAWC will also be partnering with units and other organizations.

The proposal is to offer smoking cessation classes to unit members who want to quit smoking but are unable to attend evening classes or one-on-one sessions.

The program is designed to recruit facilitators from each unit or organization to hold in-house smoking cessation. These facilitators will work closely with the HAWC staff and will follow the Freshstart® guidelines set by the American Cancer Association. By offering worksite cessation efforts, those wishing to quit smoking will have greater access to cessation opportunities.

Adopting healthier behaviors such as avoiding tobacco is the first step to control or prevent the devastating effects of chronic diseases.

If you are interested in more information on becoming a facilitator for our smoking cessation program or other health programs, please call me at the HAWC at 773-4267.