Partners Unite to Curb Tobacco Use

Nothing like this had ever been done before. The Washington Health Foundation brought together 30 state leaders on January 8, for the nation’s first workplace-focused summit on tobacco cessation, called Washington Quits!

Made up of management and labor, large, mid-sized and small businesses, health policy, public health, non-profits, and other sectors of the health system – this diverse group kicked off the New Year with a resolution they hope will save lives:

To reduce tobacco use in the state by at least 3% a year, from 17% in 2006 to less than 15% by 2010.

Leaders aspired to even greater results committing to looking for new ways to cut the smoking rate to 12% by 2012.

A difficult task, but these leaders believe that working together, they can get it done. Working together, they can make a dent in the single greatest cause of premature death and disability: Smoking. The group will take action through a handful of Washington Quits! committees, formed through a process called the Performance Partnership Model.

In a Performance Partnership, a broad range of stakeholders agrees upon an over-arching, measurable goal, achieved by harnessing collective energy. Partners analyze the gaps and barriers to achieving the goal, own the problem, and share resources to develop and execute a variety of cutting-edge strategies.

And the action has already begun:

• Within less than a month of the summit, the Washington Quits! Policy Committee coordinated testimony in favor of Senate Bill 6421, which would provide effective stop-smoking treatment to Medicaid Recipients.


• The Cessation Coverage Committee plans to compile a county-by-county directory of cessation services in Washington, identify service gaps, and consider best practices for helping those who chew or smoke tobacco to quit.


• The Marketing and Awareness Committee is educating employers, workers and health care providers through a variety of means about effective ways to help tobacco users quit.


• The Partnership Committee is forging ways to expand Washington Quits! efforts among labor unions, businesses, insurance agents and health care providers.


• The Data Committee monitors and reports progress toward the goal.

Washington currently ranks 5th nationally in the healthiest state measure of Smoking Rates. In recent years, our state has consistently improved in this area—one reason we recently jumped to #12 in state health rankings. However, there is much more to be done.

Others interested in reducing tobacco use in Washington are welcome to join Washington Quits! To learn more about the effort or to join a committee, please contact our Tobacco Cessation Program Director, Dawn Robbins, DawnR@whf.org or call 503-774-4146.

more resources:

Washington Quits! Tobacco Cessation Summit, January 8, 2008 — Click here to see the video.

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