The annual Great American Smokeout® every November encourages those who smoke to make a plan to quit. WIC agencies and clinics can use this opportunity to help educate participants on the dangers of smoking cigarettes (including e-cigarettes) and encourage moms to give their baby a healthy start.

WIC staff may wish to enhance both tobacco and marijuana prevention efforts for this observance. Marijuana is the most widely used substance during pregnancy in the U.S., and despite some states having legalized marijuana for medical or non-medical uses:

There are potential negative effects of marijuana on pregnancy and on the unborn baby, infant, child, and adolescent;

There are potential negative effects of its use while breastfeeding; and

Marijuana smoke contains many of the same harmful components as tobacco smoke, so neither marijuana nor tobacco products should be smoked around a baby or children.

Below are a number of resources to help with education, prevention and referral efforts.
 

Information & Education Materials

Smokefree.gov (and the sub-sites for women, teens, and Spanish speakers) provides:

• information about the different types of tobacco products
• articles on general topics, such as Smoking and COVD-19 and How to Manage Cravings
• Pregnancy & Motherhood-specific articles that cover the importance of becoming smokefree before or during pregnancy, postpartum depression and smoking, handling the stresses of parenting and other topics

BeTobaccoFree.gov compiles CDC, FDA and other agencies' resources that provide:

• information on the dangers and health effects of electronic cigarettes and secondhand smoke
• downloadable handouts on topics such as Women and Smoking and Smoking and Reproduction
• a list of smoking prevention campaigns, each geared toward a specific audience, including The Real Cost of Tobacco - Youth Tobacco Prevention Campaign - Vapes, Cigarettes and Dips, featured on WIC Works

WIC Works also offers:

• a Smoking During Pregnancy fact sheet developed by Iowa WIC, available in Spanish
• a Substance Use and Medication Safety collection page that provides education materials, handouts, a treatment locator and more
• a Substance Use Prevention Guide for State and local agencies
• a number of other resources related to marijuana and other substances

Tools and Support for Quitting

• Smokefree texting programs, including SmokefreeMOM texting that provides pregnant women with free, 24/7 encouragement, tips and advice
• Smokefree apps that offer free, 24/7 personalized support based on each person's smoking patterns, moods, motivation to quit, and quitting goals.
• Smokefree Women support community for women to share stories, offer and receive tips and encouragement, and & get the latest news on the benefits of living a tobacco-free life
• An online, interactive tool to help smokers create their own personalize Quit Plan
• Connections with experts via online chat or phone: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)

Smoking Cessation Aids

Women who were already using smoking cessations aids before they became pregnant, or who want to start using such aids, should discuss this with their health care provider.