NEWS!
On Nov. 16, 2006, our new smoke-free workplaces law went into effect in Hawaii. The new law has many consequences, among them no more smoking in bars and all restaurants as well as in hotel lobbies, airports, and many other public areas. Tobacco-Free Kauai is proud to have worked long and hard to help pass this law and we are certain that it will go a long way toward promoting public health.
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Our education, prevention and cessation programs work to reduce illness, disability and death related to tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke. As a community resource, we stand ready to partner with schools, agencies and the general public in an effort to create a Tobacco-Free Kauai.

Prevention
Statistics show that if youngsters do not begin smoking by age 18, there is a 90% chance that they will never begin the habit. TFK is dedicated to working with youth in schools and in the community to educate them about the deadly consequences of smoking. We have written materials, videos and other educational incentives to help communicate our concerns about tobacco use. Believing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, TFK stands ready to take all steps necessary to promote a healthy lifestyle free from tobacco.

Cessation
We at TFK firmly acknowledge that people who smoke are not the enemy. Surveys show that up to 75% of smokers would like to quit the habit. But quitting smoking can be very difficult, as recent discoveries show that the nicotine habit is as strong as or stronger than cocaine and heroin addiction. We have been using the Brief Intervention approach in helping people stop and we also have a full-time cessation specialist who conducts regular cessation classes and provides individual help. Our valuable state quitline, 1-800-QUIT NOW, has proven to be a valuable resource for our community. After all, not everyone quits in the same manner. Our coalition has also developed a Starter Kit to support and guide cessation efforts. Please feel free to contact us if you or someone you know wants to stop smoking.

Advocacy
The laws of the country and indeed the world have been catching up with the tobacco industry. More and more municipalities are realizing that there is no inherent right to smoke in public and that political leaders have the duty to protect their constituents. TFK has entered a number of political arenas in the past few years (both county and statewide) and we are proud to know that we had a big affect in Kauai County's passage of a strong smoke-free workplace ordinance in 2003. We continue to form strong bonds with our political representatives to educate them and the public about the latest scientific knowledge concerning the dangers of tobacco use and how they can thwart these public health problems.

Outreach
Tobacco-Free Kauai is a big part of the island's landscape and proudly participates in numerous meetings and other public events throughout the year. Whether it's a hotel health fair or the annual summer 4-day Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair, we'll be there with information, incentive items, petitions and a friendly face to answer questions and inform the public about what we do. We feel that it is our obligation to go to the public with what we believe, and county residents will find us on our public access television stations, in the local daily newspaper, in newsletters, on the radio, on the web and other media that touch our people.