Illinois Tobacco Free Communities Grant
The 1964 Surgeon General's Report on Tobacco
clearly described the harmful health affects of tobacco use. A second
Surgeon Generals Report in 2006 defined the harmful health affects of
exposure to secondhand smoke.
Despite clear evidence about the harmful health affects of tobacco use,
many youth continue to start smoking. Adults continue to smoke in their
homes and cars, exposing their children and others to toxic chemicals
contained in cigarettes.
For these reasons, Jersey County Health
Department has developed the following goals related to tobacco use prevention
and smoking cessation:
· To reduce tobacco use in the adult
population, specifically, in women of childbearing age.
· To prevent youth, under the age
of 18, from starting to use tobacco.
· To reduce exposure of all age groups
to secondhand smoke.
· To increase the communities awareness
of tobacco control issues and the need for public policy and social change.
The Illinois Tobacco Free Communities grant
from the Illinois Department of Public Health is the main funding source
for the smoking cessation programs, for the tobacco prevention education
programs and for the programs to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke.
The Monster Cigarette or What's in Secondhand Smoke
The Monster Cigarette educates adults, teens and children on the 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke. At least 37 of these chemicals can cause cancer.
Here is a short list of some of the chemicals and what they are used for. Maybe you have heard of or used some of them before.
" Acetone: Used in nail polish remover.
" Acetic Acid: Found in vinegar.
" Arsenic: Rat and mouse poison.
" Ammonia: A household cleaner.
" Benzene: A known carcinogen.
" Butane: Lighter fluid.
" Cadmium: Rechargeable batteries.
" Carbon Monoxide: A poisonous gas in car exhaust.
" Cyanide: Poison.
" Formaldehyde: Embalming fluid.
" Methanol: Jet or race car fuel.
" Polonium 210: Radioactive chemical.
" Stearic Acid: Found in candle wax.
" Tar: Brown, gooey substance used on roads.
American Lung Association www.lungusa.org
American Heart Association www.americanheart.org
American Cancer Society www.cancer.org
Illinois Department of Public Health www.idph.state.il.us
Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov
National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov
SFTM is a smoking prevention program presented in the classroom to 2nd and 4th grade students. Students learn about the harmful health affects of tobacco, that tobacco companies don't tell the truth in tobacco ads, and how to deal with peer pressure to smoke. Students sign a class contract pledging not to smoke. SFTM was developed by the American Lung Association.
Tar Wars is a smoking prevention program developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians. The program is presented by a health care professional to 5th grade students. Students learn that most people do not smoke, there are good things about being a nonsmoker, and tobacco advertising does not tell the truth. A poster contest is part of the program. The posters are made by the students and are to tell the truth about tobacco. Posters are judged and prizes are awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each participating classroom. For information about Tar Wars call JCHD at (618)498-9565, ext. 334 or visit the Tar Wars website at http://www.tarwars.org
1-800-TAR-WARS
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Make Yours A Fresh Start Family (MYFSF) MYFSF, which was created by the American Cancer Society, is designed to specifically help women of childbearing age quit smoking and stay smoke free. WIC and MCH clients are counseled to quit smoking by case managers on visits to Jersey County Health Department. |
FFS is an 8-week smoking cessation program from the American Lung Association. For information on classes call Jersey County Health Department at 618-498-9565. Over-the-counter nicotine replacement products are available for class participants at a reduced rate.
Break The Habit
Break The Habit is a Smoking Cessation
Program for Jersey County residents age 18 and older and is provided
in cooperation with the American Lung Association.
Break The Habit uses telephone counseling scheduled at convenient times to help you quit smoking!
Nicotine replacement products are available if needed for a $5 copay.
For more information about Break The Habit, call 618-498-9565,
ext. 334, Or the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at
1-866-QUIT-YES (1-866-784-8937).
Funding for tobacco use prevention and smoking cessation programs is made possible by funds received from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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Illinois Tobacco Quitline 1-866-784-8937 The Quitline helps people who want to quit smoking but may not be able to attend a regular smoking cessation class. Specially trained registered nurses and respiratory therapists are available to counsel callers. |
Smoke Free Homes and Cars
Secondhand smoke places infants and children at greater risk for a number of serious health problems. The lungs of children and infants exposed to secondhand smoke do not develop properly and this affects how the lungs work. The infants and children are then more vulnerable to upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, severe asthma, and pneumonia. Ear infections are more frequent in these infants and children. Tobacco smoke is toxic to the nerves and can impair learning abilities and behavior. Exposure to secondhand smoke is life threatening to infants. Infants exposed to secondhand smoke are at higher risk of death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS.
To protect infants and children from secondhand smoke, parents who smoke should make it a rule to not smoke in the house or in the car. Children should not be allowed to follow parents out to smoking areas. Visitors and other family members should be asked to follow the home and car rules about smoking as well.
The best thing a parent can do is to stop smoking. Quitting smoking is not easy but will protect the health of your most valuable possession, your child. For more information about quitting smoking call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at 1-866-QUIT-YES (1-866-784-3937).
Link to related websites:
Environmental Protection Agency: Smoke Free Homes and Cars www.epa.gov/smokefree
Pregnancy and Smoking: The Health Risks for Mom and Baby
Women who smoke are at increased risk for all types of cancer, heart
disease, stroke, gum disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
For those women who are trying to get pregnant, smoking can make it
more difficult to become pregnant.
Smoking during pregnancy can lead to ectopic or tubal pregnancies, vaginal bleeding, placenta abruption (the placenta partially or totally peels away from the wall of the uterus before delivery), placenta previa (the placenta is low-lying and covers part or all of the opening of the uterus) and still birth (death of the fetus).
Babies born to women who smoke during pregnancy are at greater risk for birth defects, for being born prematurely, and for being born at lower birth weights. These infants are at increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS as well.
Women who smoke and are planning a pregnancy should make plans to stop smoking before they get pregnant. They should talk to their doctor about developing a plan to quit. The Illinois Tobacco Quitline at 1-866-QUIT-YES (1-866-784-3937) also provides support for smoking cessation.
Links to related websites:
March of Dimes www.marchofdimes.com
CDC Reproductive Health www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/tobaccousepregnancy/index.htm
The American Lung Association and Jersey County Health
Department
want to help you
Break the Habit
A free Smoking Cessation Program for
Jersey County residents age 18 and older.
Break the Habit uses telephone counseling scheduled at
convienent times to help you quit smoking! Nicotine replacement
products are available if needed for a $5 copay.
For more information about Break the Habit, call 618-498-9565,
extension 334, OR the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at 1-866-QUIT-YES.
Funding for this program was made possible by funds received from the
Illinois Department of Public Health.
IMPORTANT LINKS
American Lung Association (www.lungusa.org)
American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org)
American Cancer Society, National Web Site (www.cancer.org)
National Cancer Institute (www.nci.nih.gov)
Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov)