Inside this issue

Resources for Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday January 19, 2026, marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday that recognizes Dr. King’s profound impact on the American Civil Rights Movement and celebrates his life and legacy. Dr. King emphasized love, justice, nonviolence, and perseverance, famously saying “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” In this spirit, it’s important to speak out against unfair and unjust practices and policies to help create a healthier future for all.

The impacts of unfair practices and policies on health outcomes can be seen in the commercial tobacco industry, which has a well-documented history of aggressively marketing to people who identify as Black, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, Native American, and Latino and Hispanic.

Please consider using these resources to support your local education efforts, as well as encourage community action and service: 

• MLK Jr. Day letter to the editor
• Social media assets (developed by the Wisconsin African American Tobacco Prevention Network)

Birth Defects Awareness Month

January is Birth Defects Awareness Month. Prenatal tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of poor birth outcomes in the U.S. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, birth defects, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 


• Featured partner: First Breath 
  First Breath helps Wisconsinites make positive changes to their tobacco, alcohol and substance use during pregnancy and beyond. Participants work with a health educator from their community who will take time to listen and design a personalized plan that works — all with no judgment, just support. For more information, visit the First Breath website.
  
• Featured resource: Smoking During Pregnancy Fact Sheet 
  With English, Spanish, and Hmong translations available, this DHS fact sheet outlining prevalence data, associated risks, barriers to quitting, and cessation resources is a valuable tool for educational outreach. For additional information, “Wisconsin Tobacco Facts: Smoking During Pregnancy” from UW-Milwaukee’s Center for Urban Population Health, is also available online.

Coming Soon: Youth Prevention Paid Media Campaign

A new flight of the “Behind the Haze” vaping prevention campaign is anticipated to launch February 2026. The statewide campaign will include messaging to Wisconsin teens (ages 13-18) on select social media and streaming services. The communications team will share more details in an upcoming movement call and provide materials via News to Use for local sharing.

ICYMI: Quit Season Resources

Here are a few earned media resources that outline ways to support a loved one through their quit journey, benefits to changing commercial tobacco use, and additional free support services. 

• LTE template - Give the gift of support
• LTE template - Gift of good health
• Sample social media posts, graphics, and templates
• Print-ready files for Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line materials

As a reminder, here are the free programs and current nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) offers available to help Wisconsinites in their journey to address their smoking, vaping, or other commercial tobacco use.

Participants over age 18 may be eligible for a 2-week NRT starter kit:

• Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line - Wisconsinites aged 13 and up can text READY to 34191. Residents can also reach the Quit Line 24/7 by calling 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) or by visiting WIQuitLine.org. 
• Live Vape Free - Teens and young adults 13-26 who want to learn about how to quit vaping can text VAPEFREE to 873373 for free help via text from the Live Vape Free program.

Participants over age 18 may qualify for 12 weeks of NRT:

• American Indian Quit Line - At 888-7AI-QUIT (888-724-7848), the American Indian Quit Line offers free culturally tailored support for indigenous people who want to quit commercial tobacco.

Additional Resources

• Wisconsin Medicaid Tobacco Cessation Benefit - The Medicaid program (including Medicaid, BadgerCare Plus, and SeniorCare) provides free quit smoking services and medications. People enrolled in Medicaid can talk to their health care provider to access these benefits. Providers can learn more at the UW-CTRI Medicaid Coverage website.
• Clinical outreach services - The University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) outreach program offers free education and training to help clinicians and health care systems successfully integrate tobacco cessation treatment into their standards of care. UW-CTRI also assists health care systems and staff with designing and implementing tobacco-free policies. Connect with your UW-CTRI regional outreach specialist.
• Mental health and tobacco use - The Wisconsin Nicotine Treatment Integration Project (WiNTiP) is an extension of the UW-CTRI Outreach Program that works with mental health and substance abuse treatment providers to integrate tobacco and nicotine treatment into their efforts.

Resource Round-up

• Orientation Office Hours - Ashley Voss presented on CTPTP's communications processes and ways to use provided tools in local communications work. Review the presentation slides and save the date Annie Rosemurgy’s upcoming Orientation Office Hours presentation dedicated to narrative on Wednesday, January 21, from 10-11 a.m.
• UWPHI Immersion: Communications Strategies from Wisconsin’s Commercial Tobacco Movement - Check out the presentation recording and resources from a recent presentation highlighting CTPTP’s narrative-based approach to communications, as well as the Youth Voice Project and efforts to address use of mentholated tobacco products.
• DHS Fact Sheet - The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recently published a Heated Tobacco Products fact sheet. Please feel free to use this in your educational efforts and as a resource.

Upcoming Learning Opportunities

Please see the 2025-26 TTA Plan and Timeline for a full overview of upcoming training and technical assistance events. Review the Welcome Packet for CTPTP-funded partners to learn more about learning opportunities and ways to engage in groups and/or activities that best align with your work. Please contact Alex Peeters with TTA-related inquiries.