Smoke-less Tabacco Rise with in Firefighter

While cigarette smoking rates among this occupational group are low compared to the general population, the rates of smokeless tobacco use among firefighters are high and are on the rise. Firefighters are role models and bedrocks of rural communities. Focusing on the firefighter training and recruitment stage may provide a window of opportunity to disrupt SLT/NP initiation; previous research has found a significant proportion of U.S. firefighters initiate SLT use after joining the fire service. Overall use of tobacco, including SLT, is higher in California’s rural counties compared to urban counties. Tobacco companies are investing heavily in smoke-free nicotine delivery products to maintain these users while advertising them as “tobacco-free” and lower risk alternatives.  

These emerging tobacco products, such as Nicotine Pouches, have begun to gain traction in rural settings among youth. Despite the lack of data and research on the long-term health impacts of these products, the popularity and use are on the rise.  

If successful, these partnerships and this pilot work will lay the groundwork for a full CPPRA application, which will expand to test several interventions informed by the rural firefighter participation in this proposed pilot. 

Funded by the California Tobacco Related Disease Research Program of the University of California, Grant Number T33CR6437.