The David C. Hardesty Jr. Festival of Ideas, along with co-sponsor the Nath Lecture Series, will feature faculty member Frankie Tack as she addresses the difficult subject of Tobacco and Vaping: A West Virginia Challenge Tuesday (March 5). This free event will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Mountainlair Ballroom.
As West Virginia looks to move forward with strengthened economic development, tourism, infrastructure and public health, one area must be addressed: West Virginia leads the nation with the highest rates of adult, youth and pregnant smokers in the United States. With tobacco use the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and vaping on the rise in the teen and young adult population, attention to the impact of tobacco and nicotine on our state is critical.
Tack will address the recent trends, health effects, and connection to opioids of smoking and vaping, as well as West Virginia University’s renewed efforts to curb smoking and vaping on campus.
Tack has worked and taught in the addiction field for 20 years. Her clinical experience includes counseling, supervision and management in detox, outpatient, intensive outpatient, day treatment and residential settings. Her areas of special interest include families, women and the LGBTQ population. She is currently a clinical assistant professor and addiction studies minor coordinator in the Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling and Counseling Psychology at WVU.
About the Nath Lecture Series
The Nath Lecture is an annual series funded through an endowment by the late Dr. Joginder Nath and his wife Dr. Charlotte Nath, WVU professor emeritus. The Nath Lecture highlights an outstanding WVU faculty member.
About Festival of Ideas
The David C. Hardesty Jr. Festival of Ideas was created in 1995 by former WVU president David C. Hardesty Jr. It was inspired by events he organized as WVU’s student body president in the1960s. Today, the lecture series spans the academic year and engages a diverse group of newsmakers, public figures, thought leaders and WVU’s own superstars.
For more information visit the Festival of Ideas website.