Jackie Kurle, Senior Manager, Client Services:   Last Friday, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jay Butler, sent the following email to state employees. The purpose was to encourage state employees to seek Quit Line services, to increase awareness about the Quit Line, to promote Alaska’s new website as a resource, and also to highlight the Great American Smokeout® (GASO). In honor of GASO, I’d like to share an excerpt of his message with you: This month, I have a chall... [More]

Jackie Kurle, Senior Manager, Client Services:   In today's busy world, it can be challenging to complete all the tasks that make up a typical workday, let alone find a few minutes to take a break. Employees that do find ways to take breaks take them in a variety of forms, some of which are perceived to be less favorable than others. When it comes down to tobacco use, tobacco users do tend to take additional breaks compared to non-tobacco users. Although smoking bans have had a de... [More]