Roger Dier of UW-CTRI addresses the media regarding the dangers of chewing tobacco.
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Tobacco Control Advocates Promote
'Through With Chew' Week in Wisconsin
Tobacco control advocates discussed the dangers of chewing tobacco and how to quit at a Feb. 20 news conference at Fox Valley Technical College in Oshkosh. The news conference marked the annual 'Through With Chew' Week in Wisconsin.
Among the speakers was UW-CTRI Outreach Specialist Roger Dier, who spoke about his experiences chewing and quitting.
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Coalition representative Connie Olson also spoke about local efforts to help chewers quit—including the distribution this week of 2,500 “Quit Spit Kits” containing self-exam mirrors, tooth brushes, quitting information, chewing tobacco substitutes, Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line information, chewing gum, etc. in seven counties throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
More than 108,000 Wisconsin residents chew tobacco and are likely to suffer health consequences. Adults aren’t the only ones who chew—more than 14 percent of Wisconsin high school boys and two percent of high school girls use spit tobacco.
“Through with Chew Week is the time when chewing tobacco users should make an honest assessment of the potential harm to their health,” said Roger. “Oral cancer is disfiguring at best and deadly at its worst.”
A great resource for help with quitting is the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line
at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669). According to Robin Perry of the UW-Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, about 150 spit tobacco users called the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line in 2006.
“We have seen an increase in the number of chewers calling the Quit Line as they discover that the Quit Line is a great resource for all types of tobacco users," Perry said. "We support callers by personalizing a free quit plan and giving them materials and tips to help increase their chances of quitting for good.”
For information on how to quit chewing tobacco, click here. |
