February is American Heart Month
2019 Can be the year for New Beginnings....
If you missed the opportunity to quit smoking for your New Year resolution, you can still quit for American Heart Month. There are plenty of reasons to quit smoking, and one of the most important reasons is your heart.
Many don’t consider the heart to be the main organ associated with the dangers of smoking. Smoking clearly affects the lungs and respiratory system, but it also has an impact on the cardiovascular system as well. Nicotine raises your heart rate and blood pressure while carbon monoxide causes oxygen levels in your blood and brain to decrease.
Use every day in February to remind yourself of why you’re quitting and recommit to your plan. Your heart will thank you!
Call QUIT.NOW or visit
www.quitnowindiana.com for further assistance.
Did you know?
Schooling not Juuling: Do you know the difference between a Blu, JUUL and Suorin Air? Most adults do not, but it might concern you that your teenager probably does. If you are talking about cigarettes and other vaping devices with your child, you should probably build an understanding of the available products. Teens see vaping as smoking without the negative side effects: no bad breath, no cigarette burns, less risk of cancer and other smoking-related diseases. There are, however, other risks associated with vaping.
Mission
Tobacco Free Howard County is a coalition including local partners, nonprofit, health ,faith and community organizations committed to educating the public on the deadly hazards of tobacco use. We are committed to decreasing secondhand exposure, encouraging smoking cessation (1.800.Quit.Now) and youth advocacy to improve a healthier smoke free community.
Services
COMBAT TOBACCO USE
Protect and maintain a tobacco control alliance infrastructure needed to combat tobacco use, as well as work locally to reduce tobacco use.
PROTECT HOOSIERS
Work to protect Hoosiers from exposure to secondhand smoke, supporting local and/or statewide smoke-free air ordinances.
DECREASE ADULT SMOKING
Promote the Indiana Quitline (1-800-QUIT NOW) and support employers by providing tobacco treatment resources at their workplace.
PREVENT YOUTH SMOKING
Promote and educate the community about tobacco point-of-sale strategies implemented at the local level to entice youth to smoke.
Contact
For more information, contact Shirley Dubois, Tobacco Free Coordinator, at: 765.513.8514 or shirley.dubois@kokomoymca.orgFor more information on cessation, visit:
https://www.quitnowindiana.com/
For more information about the smoke free ordinance, visit:
http://www.howardcountyin.gov/community/smoke-free
Community Support
After decades of progress lowering smoking rates, we know what works to protect youth from tobacco products. We need state lawmakers to act this year to make sure communities have the resources they need to do this work. Raising the cigarette tax by $2 will generate resources to take on this epidemic.
#RaiseItForHealth
