Valparaiso University receives two grants to promote tobacco education and use prevention

Valparaiso University’s Tobacco Education and Prevention Coalition for Porter County has received two grants, one from the Indiana Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation and one from HUB Coalition of Porter County. Both grants, which total $310,000 and $14,000, respectively, will help the university build a healthier community through education about tobacco and its dangers, as well as providing education about and resources for stopping smoking.

According to an article on Valparaiso University's website, Elizabeth Gmitter, Ph.D., PT, MS, who serves as the dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, was quoted as saying of the Tobacco Education and Prevention Coalition for Porter County, “The Coalition has been a fantastic chance for our campus and the community to make a difference across the county. Our students, faculty, and partners have all done incredible work, and we’re thrilled to continue those efforts.”

One of the main efforts the Coalition has been undertaking on campus is the establishment of a new tobacco policy task force, which is being put together and run by students, faculty, and staff from various colleges and departments. The task force will assess tobacco use on campus, taking into account the rise of vaping.

The Coalition also provides outreach to the larger Porter County community, with an anti-vaping program called “Catch My Breath” provided for children in classrooms and training opportunities given to classroom teachers, as well. The Coalition is working with schools to review and upgrade their tobacco policies.

Both undergraduate and graduate students have taken part in the efforts of the Coalition over the years. One student, Anna Rafac, who graduated with a degree in Public Health in 2024, was an intern with the program who worked on the Standardized Tobacco Assessment of Retail Settings biennial survey, providing the coalition with important data about the sale and advertising of tobacco in local stores throughout the county.

Carolyn Higgins, who serves as the program director of the Tobacco Education and Prevention Coalition for Porter County, said, “The data Anna collected allowed us to educate local community members and professionals through a campus conference and other education events about how tobacco products are priced and marketed to target teens and populations most impacted by tobacco at the point-of-sale.”

The Coalition also promotes resources to help the community quit smoking. Some of these resources include the free hotline Quit Now Indiana and the Vape Free Indiana program, which is aimed at teenagers. 

“It’s probably the toughest addiction to get to the bottom of. If they aren’t successful the first time, they are welcome to keep trying until they are. We know that people don’t always quit the first time around. We’d like them to, but it’s not the norm. They can sign up for those resources over and over again,” said Higgins.

For more information about Valparaiso University, visit the school’s website.