Scroll To Top

Filter:

SHOW RESULTS
CLEAR ALL

Winter 2021 Newsletter: Don’t Miss These Tobacco Control Resources!

March 4, 2021

Register for the Spring Tobacco Control Institute

an illustration of a virtual spring institute

The Spring Tobacco Control Institute will be held virtually on Tuesday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 24. This year’s topics focus on priority populations in South Dakota. 

Tune in from the comfort of your own home via Zoom for valuable insights about:

  • Health equity with keynote speaker Dr. Julie Sweetland from FrameWorks Institute 
  • South Dakota Department of Health’s tobacco cessation efforts 
  • Data and communication resources 
  • Effective policy making 
  • Organizational partnerships

It’s FREE to attend!

Tune in any time for sessions that relate to your focus area.

Questions? Contact the Southeast Region Tobacco Prevention Coordinator, Hilary Larsen, at 605-444-6341 or h.larsen@voa-dakotas.org. 

Registration is open! Reserve your space now.

SD Tobacco Control Program Grants Are Open – APPLY NOW!

You have TWO excellent opportunities to receive grant funding!

The Tobacco Disparities grant is open! Any organization working with the following priority populations to reduce tobacco use can apply:

Funding ranges from $5,000 to $25,000. 

Find out more and apply – the application closes on March 26! 

The Community/School Partnerships grant is open now! The grant supports school and community efforts by linking tobacco prevention and control efforts for maximum impact. 

Who are grants awarded to? 

Grants are awarded to local governmental and non-profit community-based organizations, coalitions, and groups. Qualifying organizations include, but aren’t limited to: 

  • Youth groups
  • Schools
  • Post-secondary institutions
  • Civic associations
  • Service clubs
  • Healthcare organizations
  • Faith-based organizations
  • Parent groups
  • Neighborhood associations
  • Local community coalitions 

The maximum grant award is $25,000. 

Find out more and apply – the application closes on April 23!

More Than Half of Young Vape Users Want to Quit

An illustration depicting a juul going into trash

According to Truth, 60% of young e-cigarette users want to quit within a year.

Here’s a list of their biggest quitting motivators: 

  • Having support through texting (51.2%)
  • Having a support system on social media (43.6%) 
  • Following along with a group of influencers who are quitting (41.7%)

To capitalize on this social sharing motivation, Truth developed This Is Quitting, a 24/7 texting support network. Anyone interested in quitting vaping can text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to set a quit date and receive helpful quit tips. 

Make sure to share this free service within your network, or on your social media platforms! And remember, the South Dakota QuitLine is available for all South Dakotans 13+. Quit Coaches can help quit vaping for good. It’s free and confidential.

New Facts: Tobacco Use Increases the Risk of COVID-19 Infection AND Its Severity

An illustration depicting COVID in the lungs

Research is mounting about the dangers of tobacco in relation to COVID-19: 

  • A December 2020 study found that current smokers were 14% more likely than non-smokers to experience fever, shortness of breath, and a persistent cough if they tested positive for COVID.
  • They were also 29% more likely to experience more than five COVID symptoms, and 50% more likely to experience more than ten. 

Tobacco use can damage even a young person’s lungs and immune system. Share this information with folks in your community. We can keep one another healthy if we work together to support each other.

Keep in Touch

The SD Tobacco Control Program welcomes your feedback. If you have questions about media efforts, need help sharing, or want more information: