Making a difference in infant survival: evidence-based actions to reduce tobacco exposure during pregnancy and infancy in North Carolina.

Abstract

North Carolina faces major challenges in dealing with smoking and its consequences during pregnancy and infancy. Evidence-based strategies exist to help pregnant and parenting smokers to quit, to discourage young people from becoming smokers and to reduce exposure of infants to SHS. North Carolina is making progress in implementing these strategies, but more infant lives could be saved each year if the state adopted a more comprehensive approach to addressing tobacco use by improving cessation services for pregnant and parenting smokers, reimbursing clinicians for providing cessation services, increasing state excise taxes on tobacco products, establishing statewide help or quitline services and adopting tobacco-free school policies. These proven strategies can make a difference.