Naval Medical Center Portsmouth staff members joined together to host the Great American Spit Out Day Health Fair on Feb. 20.

NMCP staff assigned to the Health Promotion and Wellness Department presented materials to NMCP staff and patients during the fair.

Presentations included a general wellness display with an anti-tobacco message and materials; nutritional information that explained the harms of diets high in sugar, fat and cholesterol; and mental health brochures and information.

“We are promoting the Great American Spit Out,” said Joe Burmeister, from Health Promotion and Wellness Department. “This event is focused on smokeless tobacco. We’re trying to get the education out there about the importance of nicotine addiction and the different cancers and health effects that it can cause.”

The Great American Spit Out is a health event sponsored by the American Cancer Society to spread awareness of the harms of smokeless tobacco products, and to encourage tobacco users to quit, taking an important step toward a healthier life.

Spit tobacco, like all tobacco products, contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive substance and, over time, a person can become physically dependent and emotionally addicted to nicotine. Addiction to nicotine controls your schedule and how you spend your money; two cans of spit per week costs about $280 annually. Nicotine impacts the ability to perform mission by reducing stamina, harming vision and slowing wound healing.

“It’s a little bit more difficult for smokeless tobacco users to quit because of the higher nicotine levels,” Burmeister said. “We want staff and patients to know where they can come and get help and the information they can use to help them quit.” 

As the U.S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating military treatment facility since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally acclaimed, state of the art medical center, including its ten branch and TRICARE Prime clinics, serves the Hampton Roads area. Additionally, NMCP offers premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsmen for future roles in healing and wellness.

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