Alaska Governor Bill Walker will sign the "Take It Outside Act" on July 17, making workplaces smoke-free starting October 1, 2018. The ceremony at The Lucky Wishbone restaurant honors its owner George Brown, who pioneered smoke-free dining in Alaska to honor his mother who died of cancer.
Tammi Meissner represented the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and National Native Network at Wrangell's July fishing derbies, promoting the Alaska Quit Line to over 500 attendees. She raised awareness about cigarette butts as toxic waste while connecting with visitors from Southeast Alaska and beyond.
Over 300 community members from Prince of Wales Island gathered for the Jim Beard Memorial Fishing Derby in Thorne Bay, Alaska. The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and National Native Network promoted the Alaska Quit Line while raising awareness about cigarette butts as toxic waste.
The Great Plains Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program announces community funding to increase cancer screening rates across tribal and urban Indian organizations in the Great Plains region. Tribes and nonprofits serving American Indians in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa can apply for grants implementing evidence-based interventions. Application deadline: August 10, 2018.
Join the 2018 IHS Cancer Support Leadership Training in Billings, Montana, July 20-22. Learn relationship building, emotional support skills, and how to establish cancer support groups for Native American communities. Free for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals. Travel scholarships available. Limited spots—apply by June 29, 2018.
Discover the May 2018 National Native Network Newsletter featuring essential updates for Native communities. Explore upcoming webinars, Alaska's new public smoking ban, colorectal cancer awareness initiatives, and inspiring quit-smoking success stories from Michigan Native Americans. Learn about the Inter-Tribal Council's social media launch and much more impactful community news.
SB 63 marks a transformative victory for Alaska's health landscape. This statewide smoke-free workplace law protects roughly fifty percent of Alaskans previously unshielded from secondhand smoke. Given that Alaska Native adults smoke at significantly higher rates than non-Native counterparts, this legislation offers critical protection and encourages cessation, promising measurable public health improvements statewide.
After six years of legislative effort, Alaska's Legislature has approved a sweeping statewide smoking ban covering bars, restaurants, public transportation, and most businesses. Senate Bill 63 passed with strong bipartisan support and heads to Governor Walker's desk. The ban includes limited exemptions for fishing boats, airports, and specialty tobacco stores while extending protections to half of Alaska's population currently without smokefree laws.
Cancer disrupts physical and mental wellbeing, creating unique challenges requiring specialized first aid knowledge. Beyond standard supplies, caregivers must manage patient anxiety, depression, and treatment side effects while preparing for emergencies. Discover essential skills and items needed to provide compassionate, effective support for cancer patients.
The American Cancer Society's Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative grants up to $20,000 to colleges nationwide implementing 100% smoke- and tobacco-free policies. With over one million college students projected to die from smoking, this initiative addresses critical prevention needs. Applications due August 15, 2018.
Attending any of these upcoming events? Have other events to share? Let us know! Email us at NNN@ITCMI.ORG to share your event information or to get on our list serve for event updates.
37th Annual Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference | Saddlebrook Resort, Tampa, Florida | LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH) | San Diego, California | Registration will open July 7, 2026 | Abstract Submissions will open on August 4 | LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
National Conference on Tobacco or Health | The National Network of Public Health Institutes is excited to announce the start of registration for the next National Conference on Tobacco or Health (NCTOH), June 29 - July 1, 2027 in San Diego, CA. | Questions: nctoh@nnphi.org | LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
