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Press Release - Central Massachusetts Tobacco-Free Community Partnership

Press Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: James Fessenden
Office: (508) 856-2000
E-Mail: James.Fessenden@umassmed.edu

Central Massachusetts Tobacco-Free Community Partnership supports communities’ efforts to lower smoking prevalence and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tobacco use is the #1 cause of preventable death and disability in Massachusetts. More than 9,000 residents die every year from the effects of tobacco – one person every hour of every day. Thousands more are disabled by tobacco use, suffering with chronic illness and pain.

The Central Massachusetts Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, a program of the Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School / UMass Memorial Health Care, supports communities’ efforts to lower smoking prevalence and exposure to secondhand smoke. The Partnership enhances state and local tobacco control efforts by exposing tobacco industry tactics, mobilizing the community to support and adopt evidence-based policies, and changing social norms that prevent youth from starting to smoke and help current smokers to quit. These comprehensive efforts reduce death and disability from tobacco use. Funded by the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, the Community Partnership serves as a resource for local coalitions, health and human service agencies, municipalities, and workplaces on tobacco intervention efforts.

The Central Massachusetts Tobacco-Free Community Partnership serves the following towns: Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Auburn, Ayer, Barre, Bellingham, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brimfield, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Fitchburg, Franklin, Gardner, Grafton, Groton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Holland, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northborough, Northbridge, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Pepperell, Princeton, Rutland, Shirley, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Townsend, Upton, Uxbridge, Wales, Warren, Webster, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westborough, Westminster, Winchendon, Worcester.

For more information, contact Tina Grosowsky, Project Coordinator at Tina.Grosowsky@umassmed.edu or (508) 856-5067.