Federal Internship at the FDA

Great opportunity for a student living in the DC/MD area......

CVM-Student Intern (Program Support), GS-399-2

This position is located in the Office of Management, Rockville, Maryland.

Please see link for details.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/383232800

*Job Title:*Student Trainee (Program Support), GS-399-2

*Department:*Department Of Health And Human Services

*Agency:*Food and Drug Administration

*Job Announcement Number:*FDA-CVM-15-IN-1231980RL
SALARY RANGE:$12.03 to $15.14 / Per Hour

OPEN PERIOD:Wednesday, October 8, 2014 to Friday, October 10, 2014

SERIES & GRADE:GS-0399-02 POSITION
INFORMATION:Multiple Schedules - Internships

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:05

DUTY LOCATIONS: Many vacancies in the following location:
Rockville, MD View Map

WHO MAY APPLY:This vacancy is open to Student/Intern eligibles in the Rockville, Maryland local commuting area.

SECURITY CLEARANCE:Q - Nonsensitive 

SUPERVISORY STATUS:No
JOB SUMMARY:

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American!
At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) you can give back to
your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of
Americans everywhere. It is the principal agency for protecting the health
of citizens. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and
better for all Americans.

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary (CVM) in
Rockville, Maryland.

CVM's Administrative Internship Program provides a meaningful career
development opportunity for students seeking experience performing
workplace administrative duties and practicing workplace
responsibility. Students will learn specific skills that would accompany a
potential career in administrative or management operations including:
budget planning and execution, human resources and human capital strategy,
facilities management, employee training, and information technology.

*Who May Apply:* Current students in an accredited high school, college
(including 4-year colleges/universities, community colleges, and junior
colleges); professional, technical, vocational, and trade school; advanced
degree programs; or other qualifying educational institution pursuing a
qualifying degree or certificate within the local commuting area of
Rockville, Maryland.

__._,_.___

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Posted by: cassandra chess <cassandra_carter@hotmail.com>

Report Details How Tobacco Companies Have Made Cigarettes More Addictive, More Attractive to Kids and More Deadly

First released:        June 23, 2014

CONTACT:    Peter Hamm, 202-296-5469

New Report Details How Tobacco Companies Have Made Cigarettes

More Addictive, More Attractive to Kids and More Deadly

FDA Urged to Stop Harmful Changes Made by Tobacco Industry

WASHINGTON, DC – Design changes and chemical additives introduced by tobacco companies in recent decades have made cigarettes more addictive, more attractive to kids and even more deadly, according to a report issued today by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

The report, titled Designed for Addiction, details how tobacco companies purposely design cigarettes to make tobacco smoke smoother, less harsh and more appealing to new users, especially kids, and to create and sustain addiction to nicotine.  Tobacco companies have made these changes without regard for the health impact and actually have increased smokers’ risk of developing lung cancer.

The report is being released on the fifth anniversary of the landmark law, signed by President Obama on June 22, 2009, that gave the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco products.  It calls on the FDA to require tobacco companies, at a minimum, to reverse the harmful changes they have made by issuing the first-ever product standards governing the design and content of tobacco products.

The report shows how tobacco companies have:

·         Made cigarettes more addictive by controlling and increasing nicotine levels and enhancing the impact of nicotine.

·         Made cigarettes more attractive to kids by adding flavorings such as licorice and chocolate that mask the harshness of the smoke, menthol that makes the smoke feel smoother and other chemicals that expand the lungs’ airways and make it easier to inhale.

·         Made cigarettes more deadly, as disclosed in the new Surgeon General’s report on tobacco and health, released in January.  The report found that smokers today have a much higher risk of lung cancer than smokers in 1964, when the first Surgeon General’s report alerted Americans to the deadly consequences of smoking. The new Surgeon General’s report attributed smokers’ increased risk of lung cancer to “changes in the design and composition of cigarettes since the 1950s.”

“For decades, the tobacco industry had complete control over how cigarettes were made, and they responded by making a deadly and addictive product even worse,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.  “Now that it has the authority to regulate tobacco products, the FDA must require changes in these products to reduce the death and disease they cause.  Decisions about how tobacco products are made and what is in them must now be based on protecting public health, not tobacco industry profits.”

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health organizations have called on the FDA to issue the first-ever product standard to reduce the toxicity, addictiveness and/or appeal of cigarettes and other tobacco products.  Among its key recommendations for accelerating progress in reducing tobacco use, the latest Surgeon General’s report called for “[e]ffective implementation of FDA’s authority for tobacco product regulation in order to reduce tobacco product addictiveness and harmfulness.”

While the United States has made enormous progress in reducing smoking, tobacco use is still the nation’s number on cause of preventable death.  Smoking annually kills 480,000 Americans and costs the nation at least $289 billion in health care bills and economic losses.

Key Findings: 9 Ways the Tobacco Industry Has Made Cigarettes

More Addictive, More Attractive to Kids and More Deadly

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids report is based on an extensive review of scientific studies and tobacco industry documents made public as a result of litigation against the industry.  It also draws on the conclusions of Surgeon General’s reports and the 2006 Final Opinion of U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler in her racketeering verdict against the major cigarette manufacturers.

The report highlights nine key ways in which tobacco companies have made cigarettes more addictive, more attractive to kids and more deadly:

Making Cigarettes More Addictive

Increased Nicotine: Tobacco companies precisely control the delivery and amount of nicotine to create and sustain addiction.

Ammonia: Added ammonia compounds produce higher levels of “freebase” nicotine and increase the speed with which nicotine hits the brain.

Sugars and Acetaldehyde: Added sugars make tobacco smoke easier to inhale and, when burned in cigarettes, form acetaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical that enhances nicotine’s addictive effects.

Making Cigarettes More Attractive

Tobacco companies know that 90 percent of adult smokers start at or before age 18 and that smoking is unpleasant for new smokers, so they use chemical additives to make tobacco smoke smoother, less harsh and more appealing to the young, novice smoker. These additives include:

Levulinic Acid: Added organic acid salts, like levulinic acid, reduce the harshness of nicotine and make the smoke smoother and less irritating.

Flavorings: Added flavors like licorice and chocolate mask the harshness of the smoke and make tobacco products more appealing to young people (the 2009 tobacco regulation law prohibited cigarettes with “characterizing flavors” other than menthol, but did not prohibit the use of flavorings at levels not considered to be characterizing).

Bronchodilators: These added chemicals expand the lungs’ airways, making it easier for tobacco smoke to pass into the lungs.

Menthol: Menthol cools and numbs the throat to reduce irritation and make the smoke feel smoother.

Making Cigarettes More Harmful

The new Surgeon General’s report concluded that smokers’ increased risk of lung cancer was most likely the result of two design changes in cigarettes:

Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines: Levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, a potent carcinogen, have increased substantially in American cigarettes in recent decades and are much higher than in cigarettes from Australia and Canada.  Factors affecting levels of nitrosamines include the tobacco blends and curing process used.

Ventilated Filters: Ventilation holes in cigarette filters cause smokers to inhale more vigorously, drawing carcinogens deeper into the lungs.  (Cigarettes with ventilated filters were introduced by tobacco companies because they produced lower levels of tar and nicotine in machine tests and were marketed as less hazardous. However, the evidence now shows that these cigarettes did not reduce health risks and likely increased smokers’ risk of lung cancer.)

Visit CTFK’s web site to find the full report, an executive summary and related infographics.

This Week in CTP - Updates from the Center for Tobacco Products

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

 

New Tobacco Product Review Decisions and a Final Guidance Announced
08/28/2013

Today, FDA issued additional tobacco product review decisions, denying the marketing and sale of four new tobacco products through the substantial equivalence review path. The products were found to be “not substantially equivalent” to the predicate products to which they were compared. The products under review were not on the market and cannot be introduced into the market. These decisions follow the first tobacco product review decisions, which authorized the marketing and sale of two new tobacco products and denied the marketing and sale of four others on June 25, 2013. For more information on our substantial equivalence actions, please visit our Tobacco Product Marketing Orders webpage. --- Last week, FDA published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the release of the final guidance document titled, “Compliance with Regulations Restricting the Sale and Distribution of Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco to Protect Children and Adolescents” (also known as the reissued 1996 rule). The final guidance explains the provisions of the final rule, for instance, retailers are prohibited from selling tobacco products to youth under the age of 18; are required to verify the age of all customers under the age of 27 by checking a photo ID; and are prohibited from distributing free samples of cigarettes. Click here to view the full notice, read the guidance document, and post your comments.

News from ActionToQuit

Posted by ActionToQuit, reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

 

Portland Smokers Who Light Up On Oxygen Therapy Spark Alarming Trend -video

Smoking Cessation Two by Two
July 26, 2013   To quit smoking is not easy. Support from one’s partner can help—but only if the smokers have developed skills of their own that help them to stop. Read more.
 
Children as Young as Seven Affected by Parents Smoking
July 26, 2013   Exposure to tobacco smoke, even through second-hand or ‘passive’  smoking, has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Read more.
 
Plain Brown Cigarette Packs May Help Some Smokers Quit: Study
July 25, 2013   Dulling down the look of cigarette packs may be another way to help dissuade smokers from their unhealthy habit, a new study shows. Read more.
 
Prenatal Smoking Tied to Kids’ Behavior Issues
July 25, 2013   Women who smoke during pregnancy may be putting their children at increased risk for conduct problems in childhood, researchers found. Read more.
 
Viewpoint: Antismoking Advocates Have Misused Science
July 24, 2013   Nothing drives academics crazier than when the right wing ignores,  undermines or misuses scientific evidence to achieve ideological public-policy goals that they favor, whether the issue in question is global warming or abortion. Read more.

 

F.D.A. Closer to Decision About Menthol Cigarettes
July 24, 2013   Moving closer to a decision on whether to ban menthol in cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration released a scientific review on Tuesday that found the mint flavoring made it easier to start smoking and harder to quit, and solicited public comment on “potential regulation” of menthol flavored cigarettes. Read more.

Electronic Cigarettes—Let’s Think Before We Inhale
July 23, 2013   Let’s pause and think before we inhale the hype of electronic cigarettes. Read More.

UH Study Raises Questions About E-cigarette Safety & Effectiveness
July 23, 2013   A new study by the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center finds young people who want to quit smoking are turning to e-cigarettes. Read More.
 
Tiny Rat Cocktail Parties Shed Light On Why Smokers Drink
July 22, 2013   Scientists have spent the last five years serving up rodent-sized alcoholic drinks to hundreds of little black and white rats, after a nice hit of nicotine. Read More.

A Second-Hand Lesson in Dealing With a Smoking Neighbor
July 22, 2013   Second-hand tobacco smoke is not in and of itself a nuisance. That is now the law in Maryland based on a case just handed down by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. Read More.

FDA releases report on Menthol in Cigarettes- Public Comment Opportunity & Scientific Efforts

Posted at http://lgbthealthequity.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/fda-releases-report-on-menthol-in-cigarettes-public-comment-opportunity-scientific-efforts/ reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

Daniella Matthews-Trigg, Program Associate

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it is issuing a 60 day Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to seek additional information (comments, data, research, etc.) from the public to help the agency make informed decisions about what, if any, regulatory action to take in regards to menthol in cigarettes. (Remember how Brazil banned flavored cigarettes including menthol? The FDA will be setting up a govt to govt conversation with Brazil!)

“Menthol cigarettes raise critical public health questions,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. “The FDA is committed to a science-based approach that addresses the public health issues raised by menthol cigarettes, and public input will help us make more informed decisions about how best to tackle this important issue moving forward.”

 

The FDA is also making available for public comment their preliminary independent scientific evaluation (whew!) of the health effects of menthol cigarettes looking at initiation, addiction, and cessation: Preliminary Scientific Evaluation of the Possible Public Health Effects of Menthol Versus Nonmenthol Cigarettes.

Additionally, the FDA is currently funding investigator initiated menthol-related studies looking at;

1. Whether genetic differences and taste perceptions could explain why certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to use menthol tobacco products.

2. Compare exposure to carcinogens from menthol and nonmenthol cigarettes

3. Examining the effects on menthol and nonmenthol products on tobacco addiction

 

And, stay tuned for an upcoming, FDA-developed youth education campaign for roll-out at end of calendar year with an emphasis on menthol!
(Check out the FDA’s full press release HERE)

*Read more about the menthol debate on our blog:
MARY POPPINS COULD TEACH US HOW TO REFRAME THE MENTHOL DEBATE
BRAZIL LEADING THE WORLD IN TOBACCO CONTROL BY BANNING THE SALE OF FLAVORED CIGARETTES INCLUDING MENTHOL
And, from 2011…URGE THE FDA TO BAN MENTHOLATED CIGARETTES SIGN ON TODAY HTTP://BIT.LY/PROTECTYOUTHBANMENTHOL
Also, there is an article in the New York Times about this!

Mayor Emanuel Takes Bold Steps to Protect Chicago’s Kids from Menthol Cigarettes

Statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

WASHINGTON, DC – The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids applauds Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for his bold leadership in working to protect the city’s kids from the serious public health problems posed by menthol cigarettes.

Mayor Emanuel announced today that he has asked the Chicago Board of Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to undertake a series of initiatives aimed at curtailing the use of menthol cigarettes by youth in Chicago. These agencies will host a series of town hall meetings to identify innovative, community-driven solutions to reduce menthol cigarette use among Chicago’s youth. In addition, CDPH will launch a tobacco prevention ad campaign in October that focuses on menthol cigarette use.

Mayor Emanuel’s initiative comes just days after a 153-page report by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration underscored the serious public health problems posed by menthol cigarettes. The report reached three key conclusions, finding that menthol cigarettes lead to 1) increased smoking initiation among youth and young adults; 2) greater addiction; and 3) decreased success in quitting smoking. “These findings, combined with the evidence indicating that menthol’s cooling and anesthetic properties can reduce the harshness of cigarette smoke and the evidence indicating that menthol cigarettes are marketed as a smoother alternative to nonmenthol cigarettes, make it likely that menthol cigarettes pose a public health risk above that seen with nonmenthol cigarettes,” the FDA’s report concluded.

As Mayor Emanuel wrote to city health leaders, among African-American youth ages 12-17 who smoke, 72 percent use menthol cigarettes and among LGBT youth who smoke, 71 percent smoke menthol. In March 2011, an FDA scientific advisory committee found that menthol cigarettes have been disproportionately marketed to youth and African Americans.

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 Americans and costing the nation $96 billion in health care bills each year. Mayor Emanuel is providing the strong leadership we need to protect our children from tobacco addiction and win the fight against this deadly epidemic. CONTACT: Peter Hamm, 202-296-5469

Peter S. Hamm
Director, National Communications
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
202-296-5469
Phamm@tobaccofreekids.org

Do Smoking Bans Apply to E-Cigarettes?

Reposted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com, Posted at ActionToQuit at http://actiontoquit.org/news/Do-Smoking-Bans-Apply-to-E-Cigarettes/

July 2, 2013 Look at any electronic cigarette company’s website, and you’ll read that you can smoke the battery-operated devices almost anywhere. Up until recently, Blu eCigs boasted on its website that one benefit over traditional cigarettes is that you can “Smoke anywhere!” The website has since toned down its language to say that you can “Smoke in many places where traditional cigarettes aren’t allowed!” The confusion about where you can or cannot smoke e-cigarettes has posed a challenge for the travel industry. The FDA has not ruled on the safety of e-cigarettes, but the agency will propose a rule on how to regulate them down the road. That’s not stopping people who want to quit smoking from turning to the smokeless, odorless alternative.

For More Information, Click HERE.

 

Action ToQuit Update

Repsoted at http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,
VIDEO
Through Our Eyes: NYC Kids on Tobacco Marketing

NEWS

Tobacco Use: You’ve Come a Long Way, Congress
June 28, 2013   Tobacco use in Congress just isn’t what it used to be.  Gone are the days of smoke-filled committee rooms and chambers. Read More.

Company Defends Camel Cigarette Ads Running in Magazines Targeted at Youths

June 28, 2013   The American Heart Association, American Lung Association and several other health groups are asking at least two state attorneys to investigate a new Camel cigarette ad campaign. Read More.

Some Anti-Cigarette Ads Can Trigger Desire to Smoke: Study

June 27, 2013   A new study finds that some anti-cigarette messages in public service announcements have an unintended result: They trigger viewers’ desire to smoke. Read more.

 As A Chronic Condition, Smoking is Undertreated

June 27, 2013   A recent study reveals physicians are failing to treat tobacco use,  despite the fact that it is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Read more.

 Why Smoking Rates Are at New Lows

June 26, 2013   The smoking rate among adults in the United States has dropped again,  an encouraging trend that experts on smoking cessation attribute to public policies like smoke-free air laws and cigarette taxes, as well as media campaigns and less exposure to smoking in movies. Read more.

FDA Approves Two New Cigarette Brands

June 26, 2013   The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday began using one of the key powers Congress gave it under the landmark 2009 tobacco-control law: Final say over which new tobacco products can be marketed and sold to consumers. Read more.

 E-cigarettes May Help Smokers Quit, Study Suggests

June 25, 2013   In a trial of e-cigarettes among Italian smokers with no desire to quit using tobacco at the outset, up to 13 percent of participants were not smoking regular cigarettes at all a year later. Read More.

 Cigarettes Still King

June 25, 2013   Cigarettes have long been a staple at convenience stores, accounting for billions in pack and carton sales and boosting the profits from the average smoker’s market basket. Read More.

Smoke-Free Rentals May Be Billowing Trend

June 24, 2013   We’ve seen it in a few buildings here and there, but now one major management company is officially extinguishing smoking in all it’s rental buildings. Read More.

Hearing Loss One of Risks for Pregnant Smoker’s Child

June 24, 2013   Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with hearing loss and an increased risk for substance abuse and addiction in the child, two studies showed. Read More.

Action to Quit Update

Posted by Action ToQuit. Reposted by http://www.tobaccodeathray.blogspot.com,

As the 4^th of July approaches, the CDC has developed materials and resources to encourage smokers to become independent from cigarettes.  See below more information.

Here are three recent tobacco control articles of interest:

An Update on Tobacco Control Initiatives in Comprehensive Cancer Control Plans

The FDA's Graphic Tobacco Warnings and the First Amendment

Sexual Minority Young Adults Smoke at Higher Rates than their Heterosexual Peers

 Ancient Buttheads

 Cigarette pack version of iPhone’s Siri

UPdates

Please share these opportunities from our partners:

From the CDC: This July 4th, Gain Freedom From Tobacco Use
This 4th of July, CDC encourages smokers to declare their independence from cigarettes and live a fuller, healthier life.  And for those who don’t smoke, CDC applauds their independence and suggests that they take the opportunity to celebrate! Below is a list of the products and activities available. Please share this information with your partners. 

CDC Feature Article: This July 4th, Gain Freedom From Tobacco Use
This article:
Presents key information about the harms of tobacco use and the addictiveness of tobacco products

Shares the stories of two former smokers from CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign: Tiffany, who quit smoking last year and says she feels a great sense of freedom and control over her life; and Mariano, who quit smoking in 2004 and says he now enjoys much greater quality of life. Provides helpful, free quitting resources
This feature article is now live on CDC.gov and CDC Tobacco Free social media profiles.

Information on OSH’s Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site
Check out the July Media Calendar page on OSH’s Web site. There you can find a link to the CDC feature article as well as to quitting resources and social media tools.

Like, Follow, and Subscribe! Social Media Engagement
To take advantage of all the activities we have planned on our social media profiles, you may wish to proactively like and follow @CDCTobaccoFree on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to the Smoking & Tobacco Use playlist on YouTube. Doing so will enable you to receive and share status updates and profile updates as they are posted.

Be Smoke-Free—You Matter to Me! Facebook App
CDC’s new Be Smoke-Free—You Matter to Me! Facebook app can be used by friends and loved ones of smokers to remind them of all the activities and major life events they might miss out on if they continue to smoke—and more importantly, all the things they can look forward to if they quit. Friends and loved ones can send heartfelt messages to show smokers how much they care and to encourage and motivate them to try to quit.

CADCA's 2013 Mid-Year Training Institute

CADCA’s next upcoming event filled with intense training and a host of networking opportunities - the CADCA Mid-Year is much more than a conference. "Big Ideas for Social Change," is the theme for this year's CADCA Mid-Year Training Institute.

When: July 21-25, 2013  Where: Hilton Austin Hotel and the Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX

The tobacco-specific courses outlined for this year's Mid-Year Training Institute are:

"Culturally Appropriate Interventions for Implementing Comprehensive Prevention Strategies in Rural, Non-Reservation Tribal Areas" will highlight multiple strategies implemented throughout the Cherokee Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma to reduce tobacco, alcohol, other drug use, as well as other risky behaviors such as suicide and teen pregnancy.

The Elephant in the Room: Implementing Tobacco-Free Policies in Behavioral Health Care Settings" will cover the latest research, data, programs and policies that address tobacco prevention, use and cessation treatment plans within behavioral health (mental health and substance use disorders) facilities. In addition, participants will be given the opportunity to explore the interconnections among raising awareness, advocacy, community change, and policy. In this speaker panel format, participants will also investigate the best practices for integrating tobacco cessation services and tobacco-free worksite policies into behavioral health care facilities as part of mental health, alcohol and drug treatment programs.

For more information about registration and lodging, visit the CADCA Mid-Year website.

 

Update from the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products

Today, FDA authorized the marketing of two new tobacco products through the substantial equivalence (SE) pathway, and denied the marketing of four others. Additionally, the Agency announced the refusal to accept 20 Exemption from SE requests and the withdrawal of 136 SE reports by industry sponsors.

FDA’s responsibility is unprecedented. No new regulated tobacco products can come to market without FDA review. Every SE submission undergoes a rigorous scientific review to determine if the new product has the same characteristics as a predicate tobacco product identified by the manufacturer or if it has different characteristics, but the new product does not raise different questions of public health.

As part of FDA’s mission to reduce tobacco-related death and disease, the Agency is working to ensure that any new tobacco product brought to market through the SE pathway will not present more harm to public health than a valid predicate product.

For more information, read our press release or visit our Tobacco Product Marketing Orders webpage.

Announcing: The FDA Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC) Meeting

August 15 and 16, 2013
The meeting on August 15, which will be a joint meeting with the FDA Risk Communication Advisory Committee, will focus on the results of FDA consumer research that may provide insight into how FDA can best share information with the public on harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in tobacco products. On August 16, TPSAC will discuss possible approaches for evaluating information on the risks and potential benefits of a proposed modified risk tobacco product to the population as a whole. For both meetings, interested persons may present data, information, or views, orally or in writing.

For more information, including how to get involved, visit our TPSAC webpage.

NACCHO Online Learning Collaborative: "Roots of Health Inequity"

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is offering a web-based course and learning collaborative called "Roots of Health Inequity," which discusses social justice in public health practice. Public health practitioners and educators are using Roots of Health Inequity to inspire passion among staff members and students. Watch this video to learn more about using Roots of Health Inequity to encourage self-reflection and action! Click here and visit rootsofhealthinequity.org to learn more about how to register and participate.

SmokefreeVET – A Text-Messaging Program to Help Veterans Stop Smoking"

SmokefreeVET, a new project announced by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and SmokeFree.gov, provides a mobile text messaging service for military veterans. The program is designed to provide encouragement, advice, and tips for smoking cessation. Users of SmokefreeVET receive 1-5 text messages a day over the course of a six to eight week program. The program is free of charge to veterans who receive health care through the VA. To learn more about the program or sign up, click here.