Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States killing more Americans each year than AIDS, alcohol, car crashes, illegal drugs, murder, and suicide combined. Tobacco also burdens Coloradans with billions every year in health care costs.
Ninety percent of all tobacco users start before age 18 (CDC, 2014). The tobacco companies are developing new products such as e-cigarettes faster than they can be regulated, which is contributing to an increase in youth tobacco use.
The Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (TEPP) is a grant-funded program that works with community partners to:
- Help adults and youth quit tobacco
- Prevent youth from starting tobacco
- Decrease exposure to secondhand smoke
Youth Prevention
Youth in Colorado are using tobacco at alarming rates, threatening the health of our kids and our community. Youth e-cigarette use has become a health crisis in Colorado with youth vaping at rates more than twice the national average. The Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (TEPP) and its community partners are working to prevent youth from using tobacco by:
- Educating youth, parents and the community on the dangers of tobacco use
- Assisting local schools to strengthen tobacco-free school policies
- Partnering with cities and towns in El Paso County to reduce illegal tobacco sales to minors
El Paso County 2017 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey Infographic
Additional Resources
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
Second Chance Tobacco
Tobacco Cessation
The Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (TEPP) uses community outreach, media campaigns, and partnerships with community organizations and health care providers to encourage tobacco users across El Paso County to quit.
TEPP promotes the Colorado QuitLine, a free telephone coaching program that provides one-on-one tobacco cessation support and tools, as well as nicotine replacement therapy to people who want to quit tobacco. Call the Colorado QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW to learn more.
Secondhand Smoke
There is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. The only way to fully protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is to eliminate smoking where people live, work, and play.
The Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (TEPP) works to decrease exposure to secondhand smoke by partnering with local housing authorities and property managers, workplaces, colleges and cities and towns in El Paso County to put in place tobacco-free policies.
Additional Resources
Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act (CCIAA)
Smoke-free Policies in Multi-Unit Housing
Smoke-Free Environments
Smoke-Free Housing Directory
Get Involved
Join the Tobacco-Free Alliance
The Tobacco-Free Alliance of El Paso County brings together more than 30 community partners quarterly to discuss a variety of tobacco-related topics, address gaps in tobacco prevention and control in our community, and take action to implement change.
Contact Us
(719) 578-3199
[email protected]
Follow us
Email TEPP to sign up for our monthly newsletter.