Smoke Free St Landry
Opelousas General Health System Foundation affiliate organization, Healthy
St Landry, is the recipient of a grant from Southwest Louisiana Area Health
Education Center (SWLAHEC) to promote tobacco prevention and cessation.
This grant is part of a collaboration between SWLAHEC and the LA Department
of Health: Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Healthcare access.
It is a sub-grantee of the Louisiana Department of Health’s CDC
National Tobacco Control Program grant through Well-Ahead Louisiana. The
goal of this grant is to develop and implement a 5-year strategic plan
that incorporates tobacco cessation and prevention policies, systems,
and environmental (PSE) changes (i.e. educating leaders, decision makers,
and the public on the dangers of tobacco use, community interventions
to prevent tobacco use, reduce secondhand smoke exposure, promote quitting,
and reduce tobacco related disparities, etc.). The strategic plan is not
limited only to tobacco prevention and cessation initiatives, as it will
serve the community’s priority needs.
Healthy St. Landry will be tasked with selection and execution of the culturally appropriate PSE strategies and activities aimed at decreasing tobacco related health disparities among the low socioeconomic status (SES) population, as well as sub-populations (e.g., African Americans, and those with behavioral health conditions). Additionally, they will complete an annual readiness assessment and develop a communication plan to include traditional health education, presentations, placement of brochures in clinics, and media strategies such as television, radio, social media billboards, and mailer campaigns.
The first step in a tobacco-free future is sharing quit resources with
your community. Quit With Us, Louisiana (link to
Home - Quit With Us, Louisiana (quitwithusla.org) is a resource all residents in our state can use for support in their
journey to a tobacco-free life. Quit With Us, Louisiana connects residents
to the Louisiana Tobacco Quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, as well as online and
community resources. Quit With Us, Louisiana has many online resources
for those ready to quit tobacco and educational materials to learn more
about how tobacco effects our residents.
The Quitline is a 24-hour, confidential, free tobacco cessation helpline that links people via telephone, web and text with trained tobacco cessation specialists who help create an individualized plan to quit. The Quitline incorporates evidence-based strategies for tobacco cessation for all Louisiana residents ages 13 and over. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
Free Quitline Services Include:
- Telephone Tobacco Quit Coaching
- 1-call program for all callers
- 5-call program for callers ready to quit within 30 days
- 10-call program for pregnant women and youth
- Web Coach® with text message support
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
- 2-week supply of patches or gum for eligible callers
- Printed educational materials
- Referral to additional community resources
