Important Dates

May 6 YSBIRT Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Training

May 6, 2025 1:00 - 3:00 PM Pacific

Facilitator:Carolyn Swenson, MSPH, MSN, RN. Referred by SBIRT National Opinion Research Center.

This virtual training hosted by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is designed for those who work with youth to learn about YSBIRT! The interactive training will teach you how to use Youth Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (YSBIRT) to prevent vaping, alcohol, and other drug use.

Whether you’re a preventionist, behavioral health specialist, educator, youth-serving organization, or anyone else who works with young folks, register today! You’ll learn:

What is YSBIRT?
The importance of confidentiality and consent.
Screening tools to quickly identify substance use.
How to decide the right level of treatment.
Motivation and behavior change.
How to refer to treatment youth who need specialty care.

Questions? Email Cenora at cakhidenor@tpchd.org.

May 18 No Menthol Sunday

May 18, 2025 No Menthol Sunday annual event organized by The Center for Black Health & Equity.

No Menthol Sunday is an annual call to action to highlight the detrimental impact commercial menthol tobacco products have on Black communities. Every third Sunday in May, the Center for Black Health & Equity and their partners across the country engage faith and community leaders to educate congregants about smoking, vaping, and the role of new menthol products and other flavors in initiating tobacco addiction.

This year's theme "Clearing the Way" is a call to move forward toward optimal health.

Learn more and get involved: https://nomentholsunday.org/

Share out resources on social media: https://nomentholsunday.org/resources/

May 31 World No Tobacco Day

May 31, 2025 Annual event of the World Health Organization to draw global attention to the commercial tobacco epidemic and the preventative diseases, deaths, and environmental damage it causes.

The 2025 theme is "Bright products. Dark intentions. Unmasking the Appeal". #TobaccoExposed

Learn more and get involved: World No Tobacco Day 2025

August 26-28 National Conference on Tobacco or Health

August 26-28, 2025 in Chicago.

The National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) is one of the largest, long-standing gatherings for top United States tobacco control professionals. The convening attracts a diversity of public health professionals committed to best practices and policies to reduce tobacco use—the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. The conference has a registration fee, see the website for available information.

More information: https://nnphi.org/relatedarticle/national-conference-tobacco-health/

ONGOING Commercial Tobacco Policy Change Learning Circles

Weekly sessions beginning the second week of January through the end of April.

Tuesdays 12:30 - 1:30 PM on Zoom.

To join the Policy Change Learning Circles group and receive weekly email updates, please email to Margaret Shield, Coalition Organizer of Washington Breathes.

We meet weekly during the state legislative session to track, analyze, and discuss commercial tobacco legislation and budget items. We also share ideas about how to engage in Policy Change Education to inform policymakers about the commercial tobacco issues they are grappling with. Signing up for these sessions includes receiving our weekly legislative update emails.

Our Policy Change Learning Circles are for all our members and partners who support Our Vision.

The overall purpose of the Policy Change Learning Circles is to:

Increase our shared understanding about commercial tobacco policies
Build our policy education and policy change skills
Share policy change resources & potential educational actions

ONGOING Coalition Workgroup Meetings

Our workgroups on different areas meet regularly or semi-regularly throughout the year via Zoom.

Learn more about the Workgroups and submit an interest form to join from our Get Involved page.