DAVIS, Calif. — A first-of-its-kind research center is opening in the Sacramento region aimed at saving lives from tobacco use.
“A lot of people might say, we live in California, the smoking prevalence is pretty low already isn't that great?” said Dr. Elise Tong, medical director for the "Stop Tobacco Program" at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. “At the same time, we still have a lot of communities to uplift, nicotine is one of the most addictive substances, and so we know that healthcare can do a better job in terms of tobacco treatment.”
The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has launched the state's first-ever tobacco cessation policy research center.
The tobacco-related disease research program is a state research agency administered by the UC Office of the President providing $3 million to $7 million in funding to operate the center for four years.
"We have a mission where we want to address how can health care do a better job of tobacco treatment,” said Dr. Tong.
The center has four projects in the first two years of the four-year center including access to tobacco treatment and looking at gaps in coverage, especially in underserved and minority communities.
“We're working with community pharmacies, which already can furnish nicotine medications to help people quit without a doctor's prescription,” said Dr. Tong. “But yet, at the same time, we're finding even though there's a law in place, that the pharmacies are having a hard time getting paid for services.”
To learn more about the center, click here.
