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November 2009 Giving Thanks and the Great American Smokeout

November 2009

Giving Thanks and the

Great American Smokeout

DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, LET US GIVE THANKS

Let us give thanks for those striving for better emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

Let us give thanks for family and friends.

Let us give thanks for individual and community efforts to eliminate the abuse of

alcohol and other drugs and its related violence.

Let us give thanks to you for your continued support of a safe, healthy, and drug-free community!!

Special thanks to our partners for another successful Red Ribbon Week event

Sioux City Mayor’s Youth Commission, Elks Club, City of Sioux City and the City Council, Sioux City Parks & Recreation Department, Cableone, Clear Channel Radio – KISS 107 & Robb Powers, KCAU – Channel 9 & Jenna Rehnstrom, KMEG – 14 & Steve Long, KPTH Fox 44 & Jackie, KTIV – Channel 4 & Matt Breen, Matt Rixner-KMEG 14 & KPTH Fox 44, Daniele Feenstra-KCAU-Channel 9, Bridget Breen-KTIV-Channel 4, Sioux City Police Department DARE officers and other area Law Enforcement Agencies, Counter Drug Task Force & Kara Ruba, Siouxland Schools, Little Caesar’s Pizza, Genelli Studio, American Pop Corn – Jolly Time Pop Corn Co., Chesterman Company, Girl Scouts, Girls Inc., Boys Club, Siouxland Habitat for Humanity, Life Lines Resources, Mercy Medical Center, Americorp, Siouxland Community Health Center, Drug Screen Consultants, Neighborhood Network, Tobacco Free Siouxland-JEL, Briar Cliff CHOICES, and Jackson Recovery Centers.

Special thanks to the following teachers who participated in “Fear Factor”: Mr. Bork, Mr. Monk, Mrs. Pritchard, Mr. Wright—Bishop Heelan High School, Mrs. Madsen, Mr. Hoberg –North High School, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Warden, Mr. Siefker—West High School, Ms. Gasaway, Mr. Weber—East High School.

Our Fear Factor champion was Mr. Bork from Bishop Heelan High School. Congratulations on mastering being able to dunk in spaghetti, refried beans, water, and worms for apples, eating pickled pig’s feet, driving a very small cart while wearing Fatal Vision goggles, and then digging in a bucket of crickets and maggots to find a key that would unlock the winning container.

The Great American Smokeout

Since 1977 Americans have participated in the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout by either limiting their smoking or quitting for that day. This year the Great American Smokeout will be held on Thursday, November 19th.
The Great American Smokeout has helped bring attention to the dangers of tobacco use as well as the challenges of quitting. It has also deglamorized smoking and exposed the truth about tobacco.
The benefits of quitting smoking are tremendous. Research has proven that within 20 minutes of quitting your blood pressure lowers; eight hours after quitting the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal, and 24 hours after quitting your risk of heart attack decreases, long-term benefits include reduced risk of stroke and cancers.
For more information go to www.cancer.org or 1-800-ACS-2345.

Submitted by Alicia Sanders, Siouxland District Health Dept.

The 2009 American Cancer Society Great American Smoke Out is Thursday, November 19. Tobacco Free Siouxland has created a list of tobacco cessation services that are available to residents of Siouxland. Begin your quit plan today.

List of Tobacco Cessation Services

Quitline Iowa

Free tobacco cessation program for Iowa residents,
A two week free supply of nicotine replacement therapy is available to residents of Iowa who call Quitline Iowa,
Ongoing phone counseling available to assist tobacco users with quitting,
1-800 QUIT NOW or www.quitlineiowa.org.

Mercy Business Health

Mercy Tobacco Cessation Classes

8 consecutive weekly sessions – group format,
$80 for public or $35 for Mercy employees,
Scholarships available,
Contact Deb Twyford, RN at 712-274-4334 for more information.

Health Coaching for Tobacco Cessation

One-on-one personalized approach to quitting tobacco,
$150 for 5 sessions and financial assistance available,
Contact Kira Oregon, MS, Certified Wellness Coach at 712-274-4261 or Deb Twyford, RN, Intrinsic Coach® at 712-274-4334 for more information.

St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center

Smoking Cessation Classes

5 meetings,
Cost to the public is $80,
Opportunity to be reimbursed through a grant,
Call 712-279-3530for more information.

Siouxland Community Health Center

Smoking Cessation Program

Tobacco cessation support counseling through Quitline Iowa and staff from Siouxland Community Health Center,
Up to 6 months of the medication Chantix if prescribed or 3 months of Wellbutrin, or Nicotine patches,
You must be a resident of Iowa,
You must be either an established patient of the SCHC or complete an initial evaluation,
The program is at little or no cost to Iowa residents who want to quit their tobacco addiction,
Contact the Siouxland Community Health Center for more information at 712-252-2477.

State of Nebraska Quitline

1-800 QUIT NOW

State of South Dakota Quitline

1-866-SD QUITS

MARIJUANA FACTS

Excerpts from the Iowa Office of Drug Control Policy Marijuana Fact Sheet

Marijuana currently seized and tested in the Iowa Department of Public Safety crime lab is more potent than the marijuana of the 1960’s and 70’s. The THC levels of tested marijuana samples more than doubled, from 2000 to 2005 alone. This increase in potency makes marijuana a much more dangerous drug that can cause a host of physical and psychological problems, including addiction. (Iowa Department of Public Safety/2009 Drug Control Strategy)

These are some of the findings from research of heavy marijuana users in the workplace: Workers who smoke marijuana are more likely to experience increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover. Workers who test positive for marijuana use have 55 percent more industrial accidents, 85 percent more injuries, and a 75-percent increase in absenteeism compared to non-smokers. Heavy marijuana abusers self-report that their use of the drug had negative effects on their cognitive abilities, career status, social life, and physical and mental health. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Marijuana smoke contains 50–70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which further increase the lungs’ exposure to carcinogenic smoke. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Marijuana use causes precancerous changes in the body similar to those caused by tobacco use. Smoking pot delivers 3 to 5 times the amount of tars and carbon monoxide in to the body. It also damages pulmonary immunity and impairs oxygen diffusion. (White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2008 Marijuana Sourcebook)

Marijuana continues to be the most abused illegal drug in Iowa among both adults and juveniles. Marijuana, as a primary drug of choice, accounts for over 55% of all juveniles, and 19% of all adults, screened or admitted to publicly funded treatment centers. (Iowa Department of Public Health/2009 Drug Control Strategy)

27% of Iowa 11^th graders report having used marijuana in their lifetime. (Iowa Youth Survey, 2008)

17.4% or 220 of the Siouxland 10^th graders surveyed report having used marijuana in the past 30 days.

(Siouxland CARES Greater Sioux City Metro Area Youth Survey, 2008)

Websites

ODCP: www.iowa.gov/odcp

American Medical Association: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/about-ama/13625.shtml

National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html

ONDCP: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/factsht/medical_marijuana.html

DEA: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marinol.html

FDA: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/2006/ucm108643.htm

PDFA: http://www.drugfree.org/

Public Service Announcement Contest

Enter the Clear Channel Radio and Siouxland CARES Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest today. What’s important to you?

All students in grades K-12 are invited to create a 30-second script (90 words) to present their ideas for a public service announcement on any topic of interest to them. A panel of judges will choose contest winners every month and students who submit winning scripts will be given the opportunity to record their winning commercial with the assistance of Clear Channel Radio staff.

Here is what you need to do to enter the contest:

Develop an idea that you would like to share with your peers about “What is important to you?” (i.e. Anti- Drug and violence messages, Respect, teen pregnancy).
Prepare a script for a 30 second (no more than 90 words) Public Service Announcement. Make sure you identify each person speaking e.g. Boy 1, Girl 1, Boy 2, Announcer. It is important that the audio portion “creates a picture with words” so that you can say “I saw it on the radio.” Include sounds you might hear and any background music that will be playing.
Email your script to cares@longlines.com or mail to: Siouxland CARES, 101 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA 51101 with the following information: Name of Student(s), School or Group, Grade or Age, Teacher’s or Advisor’s Name (if applicable), Address, City, State, Zip, Telephone Number.

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, November 2, meeting and luncheon with White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director R. Gil Kerlikowske, Des Moines, Iowa.
Friday, November 6, 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., at West High School. DARE Lock In
Friday, November 13 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. at CARES’ office, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce building, 101 Pierce Street, Siouxland CARES Legislative Forum. Invited guests are Iowa Senators and Representatives, Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, and City Council-Sioux City. Contact CARES at 255-3188 for more information.
Thursday, November 19 - The Great American Smokeout Day.
Monday, November 23 – 6:15 p.m.- Downtown Lighting Ceremony Parade. The Mayor’s Youth Commission will march together sporting glow sticks and handing out candy.
Thursday, December 3, Noon, CARES Awareness Committee/Advisory Board meeting, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce Building
Monday, December 14, 7-8:30 p.m., Mayor’s Youth Commission meeting, City Hall, Sioux City.