CANTON – The North Carolina Spit Tobacco Education Program (N.C. STEP) has launched the Second Annual N.C. STEP “No Spit” All-Stars campaign for football. The program recognizes the state’s best high school football players who have pledged not to use spit or smokeless tobacco – on or off the field.
This is the second year of the N.C. STEP “No Spit” All-Stars campaign for football. Mount Pleasant’s Evan Seymour earned the first-ever award in 2008.
N.C. STEP also honors the state’s best high school baseball players who have pledged not to use spit tobacco. Dixon’s Chris Huie was recognized in 2008, and Hoke County’s Ronald Womack took the honor in 2009.
Coaches, parents and fans can nominate any player for the N.C. STEP “No Spit” All-Star of the Week. To be eligible for the weekly award, the student-athlete must pledge not to use tobacco, understanding that spit/smokeless tobacco does not mean harmless.
Spit/smokeless tobacco contains more than 28 cancer-causing agents, which are present in cigarettes, cigars, smoke, and all forms of smokeless tobacco, including spit, snuff and chew. Student-athletes from across the state can download the N.C. STEP “No Spit” All-Stars pledge online at www.TheSportsFlash.com.
In the Oral Health America 2006 Spit Tobacco Report Card, the nation received a “D” for the use of spit tobacco. That means between 12 to 20 percent of all high school males in the country have used spit tobacco in the last 30 days.
The “No Spit” campaign is designed to educate young people in North Carolina about the dangers of spit tobacco and reinforce the healthy lifestyle choice not to use tobacco products, especially spit tobacco.
Each year, between 10 to 16 million Americans put their health at risk by using spit tobacco. N.C. STEP’s mission is to prevent people, especially young people, from starting to use spit tobacco.
The North Carolina Spit Tobacco Education Program is funded through a grant from the North Carolina Health & Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF), which makes North Carolina stronger, both physically and economically, by funding programs that promote preventive health. Created by the General Assembly in 2000 to allocate a portion of North Carolina’s share of the national tobacco settlement, HWTF has invested $199 million to support preventive health initiatives and $102 million to fund prescription drug assistance programs. For more information on the North Carolina Health & Wellness Trust Fund, visit www.HealthWellNC.com. For more information about N.C. STEP, contact Paul Turner at (828) 648-1211.
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