Great American Spit Out increases awareness of tobacco products

Written by Max D’Onofrio

Thursday, 19 February 2009 18:36

This week the University of Wyoming is promoting Through With Chew Week. The event is an educational campaign to decrease spit tobacco use and increase awareness of the negative health effects of using smokeless tobacco products.

The Great American Spit Out, which will happen this Thursday, is a program created in 2004 by the director of the Wyoming Through With Chew program, Niki Sue Mueller.

Mueller saw the success of having a day for smokers, the Great American Smoke Out, and wanted to have something similar to give smokeless tobacco users the opportunity to "quit for a day, or quit for good."

On Wednesday between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Breezeway there will be an opportunity for anyone interested to stop by the Through With Chew table. Visitors can pick up free information on cessation, a free "quit spit kit" and free coffee travel mugs. There will also be a representative from the Wyoming Quit Tobacco program on hand to answer questions about the program and how to sign up to quit.

There will also be a dental hygienist giving free oral exams in the union for anyone worried that they may have symptoms of oral cancer. The screening will take place in the Union Room 202 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

During the same time, the Colleges Against Cancer student organization will have a table in the breezeway with information about quitting tobacco.

“The day of the Great American Spit Out is the perfect time and opportunity to begin a quit attempt,” Mark Hicks from Through With Chew Week said.

Through with Chew Week was established in 1989 by the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Inc.

Colleges Against Cancer, a new Recognized Student Organization, hosted the Great American Smoke Out in November.

“We are very excited to help spread the word about cancer prevention and education on the UW Campus,” Stephanie Johnson, president of the Colleges Against Cancer, said.

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