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Smithfield's Empowerment Committee Hosts Employee Smoking Cessation Lunch and Learn

Tags: Smithfield
June 12, 2019 12:00 AM
By: DOC Staff

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As we fast approach the go-live date of July 1 for the tobacco-free initiative at all Department of Corrections' facilities, SCI Smithfield's Empowerment Committee invited Tracy Lake from the PATCH Program to the facility on June 11 to talk to staff about how to "kick the habit." She gave an informative and informal presentation.

The PATCH Program is a community-based project supported by grant money to assist and support people in their effort to quit smoking. Lake gave an overview of the regimen which concentrates on behavior modification and the free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, lozenges, gum) that is offered to program participants over the course of several weeks. The program is similar to what is being offered in the institutions to inmates.

Some other items of interest that were covered were pros and cons of alternate nicotine replacements such as vaping, what to expect from individuals during the initial nicotine withdrawal phase and how non-smokers can be supportive of those trying to kick the smoking habit. 

The PATCH program is willing to work around employee work shifts to set up group sessions of 7-8 employees at convenient hours for employees to attend sessions at their facilities on Moore Street in Huntingdon, Pa. If anyone is interested in the program, they can contact Gina Giansante at SCI Smithfield who can provide the contact information for the PATCH program.


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