Targeting Tobacco Use
A UNLV program is educating teens across the state about the dangers of tobacco use, which is on the rise.
More than 7,000 oral cancer screenings collected through the School of Dental Medicine's Crackdown on Cancer program revealed that 22 percent of Nevada high school students actively used tobacco-based products in the past year — a 6 percent increase from the previous year. Nationally, about 20 percent of high school students smoke cigarettes, according to a 2007 survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The program found 283 tissue abnormalities in high school students from around the state and follow up biopsies confirmed a number of children with pre-cancer and oral cancer. "It is unfortunate to see that young kids are developing tissue abnormalities so early, but if it wasn’t for our program, the kids may not have known they had a problem and may not have been as successful with their treatment," said Dr. Christina A. Demopoulos, program administrator.
Tobacco use is the greatest risk factor for oral cancer, which is why it is important to educate the youth about the dangers of tobacco and the importance of frequent self-exams, she said. "It is also very difficult for some kids to gain access to a dentist, so the oral cancer screenings they receive from the Crackdown on Cancer program will make them aware of any need for further treatment."
Making a Difference
Although tobacco use is on the rise, Demopoulos said, the collaborative efforts of the Crackdown on Cancer program and other tobacco control programs in Nevada have worked — the state has gone from No. 1 in teen tobacco use in 2001 to No. 37 in 2008.
"Countless students have told me they quit because of our program," said Demopoulos, who has been with the program since its inception in 2001. "I also have had students tell me they have encouraged their family members to quit because of the information we provided."
The students receive information about the risks of tobacco-based products, secondhand smoke, oral cancer, gum disease, and tooth decay, along with intervention and tobacco cessation counseling. Additionally, dentists and dental hygienists perform comprehensive oral cancer screenings in a mobile dental clinic.
About the Program
Crackdown on Cancer is funded by a grant from the Fund for a Healthy Nevada (administered by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services).
The program visits approximately 90 high schools and 40 middle schools a year throughout the state, including schools in Carson, Churchill, Clark, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, and Washoe counties.
For more information or to schedule a Crackdown on Cancer visit, call 702-774-2545.
Related Information
School of Dental Medicine
Fund for a Healthy Nevada
