Alcohol and tobacco prevention media campaigns were identified by the Injury and Substance Abuse Prevention Action Team as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, that has a reasonable chance of making a difference in alcohol and tobacco use in our community. The Community Guide to Preventative Services lists media campaigns, especially those that are federally funded, as a best practice to decrease the percentage of adults who smoke or abuse alcohol. This is an ongoing program in our community.

Alcohol and tobacco prevention media campaigns are a comprehensive community approach to alcohol and tobacco use, addressing the individual intervention level. This intervention targets tobacco users and susceptible teens. Implementation for this intervention will take place community-wide.

Some messages in these media campaigns focus on health disparities. Ex: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Tips from a Former Smoker has developed messages that target a variety of disparities and minorities. Using tailored media campaigns such as these will increase the chances that the message is received in our community.

Tips from a Former Smoker, a media campaign of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Talk it Out NC Campaign

The partners for this initiative include:

• Jackson County Public Schools
• Jackson County Department of Public Health
  • Role: Develop or release packaged media campaigns; compile a list of prevention activities into a calendar
• MountainWise
  • Role: Support media campaign
• Mountain Projects, Inc.
  • Role: Support media campaign
• Safe Kids Jackson County
  • Role: Support media campaign
• Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch
  • Role: Support media campaign
• ABC Commission
  • Role: Support media campaign
• Vaya Health
  
  • Role: Support media campaign
• Law enforcement
  • Role: Support media campaign

2016 Updates

Media: Multiple articles were submitted to the local newspaper on free screening events, the alarming increase in Hepatitis C due to substance abuse, former Governor Pat McCrory signing overdose prevention legislation for naloxone, and substance abuse awareness month. Action Team members also went on the radio to address low risk alcohol consumption and to provide the Vaya Health emergency phone number to residents.