WASHINGTON - The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) released today the second edition of the Program and Funding Guidelines for Comprehensive Local Tobacco Prevention and Control Programs (Guidelines) at NACCHO's Annua

The Guidelines will assist local public health officials and their community partners in structuring tobacco control efforts around the seven components of a local, comprehensive tobacco control program recommended by NACCHO and CDC. The Guidelines can be used to: - assist local public health agencies, local boards of health, and community partners in structuring comprehensive tobacco control efforts to address community needs; - develop tobacco control budgets; - serve as a framework for discussions between local and state health department officials, community stakeholders, members of local boards of health, and other state and local elected officials regarding allocation of Master Settlement Agreement monies to local tobacco control programs; and - serve as a framework to engage tobacco control stakeholders in the community to collaborate to provide comprehensive tobacco use prevention and control services. "We hope that the Guidelines will encourage many to seize this tremendous opportunity and advocate for local resources to reduce the burden of tobacco on our hometowns and all across America," said Michael C. Caldwell, MD, MPH, commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Health in New York and NACCHO Board member. Tobacco-related illness remains the single most preventable cause of death in America today. Tobacco is also attributed to one out of six deaths, or 430,000 lives, and costs the U.S. between $50-$73 million annually. Evidence from successful tobacco control programs in California, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Florida indicate that the most successful approaches to reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke include a comprehensive, community-based program. Local governments have the statutory authority to reduce tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure as a dominant threat to the health of their communities-especially among vulnerable populations. Copies of the Guidelines are available at no cost to tobacco prevention and control advocates through NACCHO. For more information, please visit http://www.naccho.org/GENERAL185.cfm.

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