What can we do?

The closing of the CDC Office on Smoking and Health is a great blow to public health in the United States. We should collect ideas on actions that each of us, as individuals and organizations, can take to make up for that loss.

I will try to maintain a running list of opportunities and invite others to take leadership roles. Links will be added as definitive sources of information are identified.

Current list

Updated 4/25

1.      Strengthen tobacco use identification in clinical practice

2.      Enhance EMRs to capture full spectrum of tobacco use and cessation interventions

3.      Track performance of tobacco cessation interventions

4.      Report data on prevalence and interventions

5.      Pool data regionally

6.      Resolve public disputation about the harms of vaping and other non-combustible sources of nicotine:

7.      For all cigarette smokers, promote a trial of quitting with varenicline

This is by no means a comprehensive listing of the options before us. Please persuade me on linked in or by email, eanselm@msn.com