Veteran Tobacco Cessation Workshop: Strategies, Techniques, & Resources for Health Equity

This hybrid workshop will review strategies, techniques, and resources to help decrease tobacco dependence and increase cessation efforts for veterans and military families in Washington State. Through a trauma informed care lens, we will explore the role of smoking with post-traumatic stress and other co-occurring mental health disorders, issues of health equity and social justice, community disparities, and factors affecting older veteran tobacco users. About 34 million American adults still smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world.

After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Use best practice guidelines and evidence-based tobacco intervention strategies with veteran clients
• Explain the role of smoking and PTSD as well as other co-occurring mental health disorders
• Explain why Tobacco use is a health disparity and social justice issue
• Address challenges with older smokers
• Know where to refer clients (veterans) for support