It’s hard to believe, but in just a few months ttac will celebrate its third year of operation. During this time, our team has had the privilege to assist scores of individuals and programs dedicated to reducing the devastating toll tobacco use exacts on Americans each year. Whether the vehicle was strategic planning, leadership development, local program implementation, sustainability, or decreasing disparities, ttac has offered technical assistance (TA) services that have truly made a difference in the capacity of organizations and coalitions to deliver tobacco control efficiently and effectively.

Like many tobacco control programs nationwide, ttac is undergoing a season of change - driven in part by the need to do more with less. We have engaged in a planning process that will help determine the course of ttac's next two years and how to maximize our ability to be a successful partner and TA provider. No doubt, this will lead to some changes at ttac, but our emphasis on building capacity at the local, state, and national levels to improve policies that will reduce and control tobacco use will remain a constant. Starting October 2004, ttac plans to:

• continue to provide on-demand TA services, but with a more narrow focus around a set of specific issues and competencies
• maintain and upgrade the materials we have already created, including the Basics of Tobacco Control CD-Rom, the Power of Proof, Higher Ground, Communities of Excellence Plus, and other products which can be accessed via the web, or through direct TA or training
• keep our Web site stocked with valuable tools and up-to-date information
• release ttac exchange only as a special-issue bulletin (rather than a regular newsletter) to weigh in on the latest findings impacting practitioners and provide a collection of resources and tools that make your job more manageable

After three years of providing TA to a broad set of individuals, communities, and states, we have observed common themes and needs within the field; these areas are where TTAC will focus its resources in the future. This includes providing TA and tools around:

• sustaining programs
• increasing skills to meet the needs of diverse and disparate populations
• improving the use of existing resources through increased collaboration, communication, and strategic planning
• fostering leadership to advocate for programs, policies and funding

You will be hearing more about ttac's future services and products in the coming months. In the mean time, please check our Web site regularly for new releases and important announcements.

Thank you for being ttac's partner and for striving with us to achieve even greater advances in tobacco control.

Dearell Niemeyer, MPH
Director, Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium

ttac’s LGBT CD-ROM Updated
LGBT Populations and Tobacco 2nd edition is designed to educate tobacco control professionals who want to expand their knowledge of LGBT populations, provide strategies for incorporating LGBT populations into overall tobacco control efforts, inform LGBT audiences wanting to know more about the dangers of tobacco use and how the tobacco industry targets them, and provide information to help tobacco control professionals and LGBT health organizations build capacity for LGBT tobacco control interventions.

New Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant Opportunity
Tobacco Policy Change: A Collaborative for Healthier Communities and States provides resources and technical assistance for local, regional, and nationally-based organizations and tribal groups interested in implementing effective tobacco prevention and cessation policy initiatives. Electronic applications will be accepted through 3:00 p.m. E.D.T. on September 1, 2004 at http://www.rwjf.org/applying/cfpDetail.jsp?cfpCode=PAD

Teen Smoking at Lowest Level Since 1991
CDC recent MMWR, Cigarette Use Among High School Students—United States, 1991–2003 reports that the rate of cigarette smoking among U.S. high school students has declined dramatically since the late 1990s.

Resources to Sustain State Funding
CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health has posted new resources to support states in their efforts to preserve tobacco control funding in the face of serious state budget challenges.

Updated State Data Released
CDC's Data Highlights, 2004 provides state-based information on the prevalence of tobacco use, health impact, and associated costs for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Landmark Study Finds Exposure to Secondhand Smoke More Dangerous Than Previously Thought
A British Medical Journal study finds that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease among non-smokers by as much as 60 percent. It is the first study to show a direct physical link between secondhand smoke exposure and an increased risk of heart disease.

Closing the Gap on Youth Tobacco Use Report
The Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center at the University of California, Irvine has released a collection of findings based on almost five years of research from across the nation on youth tobacco use. The report includes scientific data about the ways young people can become vulnerable to tobacco and the factors that contribute to tobacco dependence.

New Legacy Report: Children Bear Significant Health Burden from Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
The American Legacy Report, Secondhand Smoke Tearing Families Apart, details of impact of secondhand smoke on children.

New Study Finds that Covering Smoking Cessation Treatment is Highly Cost-Effective for Health Insurers
Coverage of smoking cessation treatment modestly increases net spending for managed care organizations (MCOs), but represents a highly cost-effective investment in the health of enrolled members, according to findings by researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. The study estimated that after five years, providing this service costs an MCO 61 cents per member per month, and after 30 years the cost drops to 41 cents per member per month. The average quitter gains 7.1 years of life. Results are published in the June Issue of Inquiry.

Notice: All email sent to or from the ttac exchange and extra! e-mail system may be retained, monitored, and/or reviewed by ttac personnel.
 
The viewpoints expressed in ttac exchange and extra! do not necessarily represent those of ttac funding organizations.