In recognition of World No Tobacco Day on Sunday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment remind Douglas County tobacco users that help is available when they are ready to quit. KDHE offers free cessation support and information online at www.ksquit.org or toll-free at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669).
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. and Kansas. Each year, nearly 4,400 adult Kansans die from smoking, and 61,000 children now under 18 who pick up the habit will ultimately die prematurely from a tobacco-related disease. Despite these risks, smoking is still a common practice. In Douglas County, one in five individuals identified themselves as a current smoker in 2011.
"Quitting is hard. Most tobacco users that attempt to quit will have multiple quit attempts," said Health Promotion Specialist Erica Anderson, of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department. "Get a coach, get medicine and don’t give up. It takes most tobacco users multiple attempts to quit, so if you fail, try, try again."
The Kansas Tobacco Quitline provides one-on-one, confidential support for tobacco users in a variety of ways. A Quit Coach works with users by phone, by text and online, through the entire quit process, including preparing for a quit date and creating a plan to fight cravings and face other challenges.
Additionally, free one-on-one, in-person coaching is available at the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department. To make an appointment, contact AmeriCorps member Alisha Fisher at 785-856-3373 or afisher@ldchealth.org.
A World Health Organization event, World No Tobacco Day has been celebrated every year on May 31 since 1988. It is meant to inform the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing about the worldwide tobacco epidemic, and how people can get involved.
The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department is working in collaboration with LiveWell Lawrence's Tobacco Free Living Work Group to promote tobacco-free environments. To learn more, visit livewelllawrence.org and to learn more about the Health Department's tobacco prevention efforts, visit ldchealth.org.