Suwannee River AHEC Tobacco Cessation Specialists give presentations to health professions college students on how to help their future patients quit tobacco. Students who participate in this program benefit from an increased understanding of the pharmacology of nicotine, tobacco use, and nicotine replacement therapy; increased awareness of the effects of smoking and tobacco use; improved knowledge of how to help patients change unhealthy behaviors; and develop or enhance skills for dealing with dependent/addicted patients.

Suwannee River AHEC offers tobacco education to vocational schools, community colleges, and universities that have healthcare programs. The trainings are done in one-hour modules. Suwannee River AHEC has trained students from dental hygiene, dental assistant, nursing, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, cardiovascular tech, nursing assistant and surgical tech programs.


Training is offered on a variety of tobacco related topics to ensure that health professions students receive comprehensive training on the consequence of tobacco use and, most importantly, on how to counsel patients to avoid or stop tobacco use.

Current trainings include:

• START: Stopping Tobacco with Assessments, Referrals, and Treatment
• The Health Effects of Tobacco Use on the Cardiopulmonary System
• Head to Toe: The Health Consequences of Tobacco Use
• Tobacco Trend Busting
• Tobacco Cessation Medications
• Tobacco Skills Training
• The Lesser Evil? Smokeless Tobacco, Second- and Third-hand Smoke

*More modules are being developed for future use.

Tobaccocme.com online courses:

Suwannee River AHEC encourages all health professions students to further their tobacco knowledge with modules offered at www.tobaccocme.com. These are provided free to students. Use the Florida AHEC Tobacco training tab. Registration is required in order to receive credit.  Download instructions and information on these courses.

Contact Sarah Catalanotto at  386-462-1551 ext 103 to schedule tobacco training at your school.