Although efforts to curb youth smoking have been going on for years, many students who attend UW-Madison and many other colleges across the nation choose to smoke.
Although college students are legally old enough to purchase cigarettes, most began smoking at a younger age and some are now unable to quit.
The UW Medical School Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is attempting to help fix that problem.
Brion Fox, assistant scientist at UW-CTRI, recently received a $75,000 grant to fight youth smoking.
Fox said he is trying to bring the disciplines of science, law and policy together to achieve a better outcome to tobacco research.
“Those areas of different studies are not integrated well enough to achieve maximum outcomes,” Fox said.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation selected Fox to receive a grant for its “Developing Leadership In Reducing Substance Abuse” program.
“The goal of this program is to develop a diverse cadre of leaders in the fields of alcohol, tobacco and other substance abuse,” said Dr. John Slade, professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and director of the program.
The RWJ’s mission statement is, “To improve the health and health care of all Americans.” The RWJ Foundation is the largest philanthropic foundation dedicated to health causes.
Fox’s grant, to be paid over three years in $25,000 increments, will hopefully help his research bridge the gap between science and policy.
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and has presented a host of legal and policy problems. Researchers in programs that combat substance abuse hope to help reduce the hold the tobacco has on society.
“Ultimately the goal is a stronger research and policy community to help reduce the use of tobacco,” Fox said.
This nationally recognized grant also draws attention to UW-CTRI and aims to help current smokers overcome their dependence on tobacco, and also hopes to prevent young people from smoking.
Fox said the grant will give better exposure to the field of substance abuse.
“The idea is that through this program it will help make substance abuse a field that is supported and is accepted,” he said.
