Tobacco-Free Ways is a free community service of the Pima County Health Department and the Arizona Department of Health Services' Tobacco Education and Prevention Program.

Its mission is to prevent, reduce or eliminate tobacco dependency among the residents of Pima County. To that end, Tobacco-Free Ways works in the areas of tobacco prevention, cessation and reduction of youth and elderly exposure to secondhand smoke.

For adults, Tobacco-Free Ways provides free group cessation classes and other cessation services to Pima County residents. Services are funded by the excise tax on tobacco products in Arizona. Classes meet once a week for 6 to 8 weeks, and are scheduled at various times and locations. The program provides clients with discount coupons for 50% off nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gum, lozenges and Zyban (with prescription). Tobacco-Free Ways also works with the Arizona Smokers' Helpline for clients who prefer one-on-one, over the phone counseling. In addition, the program collaborates with health care providers, businesses and other community agencies in creating tobacco-free environments and establishing cessation services for patients, employees and clients.

Prevention activities focus on youth in the fourth through eighth grade. Students are engaged in an age-appropriate curriculum where they learn not only the dangers of tobacco use and secondhand smoke, but are given the opportunity to develop their own attitudes and refusal skills relative to tobacco use. Students in the 6th through 12th grade, who have completed the intensive program, can join our youth coalition, S.W.A.T. (Students Working Against Tobacco) Tobacco-Free Ways provides free training and support to teachers who agree to implement the curriculum. The schools are also eligible to receive a small monetary stipend for allowing their students to participate. Educational presentations are also provided in summer youth programs, which reinforces the school-based curricula.

Tobacco-Free Ways also works with retailers to eliminate the ability of youth to access tobacco products. Free merchant education services and training are available to all Pima County tobacco vendors by calling Tobacco-Free Ways at 243-7904.

For organizations and associations in our community, Tobacco-Free Ways offers free presentations focusing on how tobacco use affects everyone, not just those who use it. Learn what tobacco use costs Arizonans each year, as well as the history of tobacco, Arizona's tobacco tax and Tobacco-Free Ways.

Tobacco-Free Ways is in its eighth year of providing direct services to the residents of Pima County.