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Tobacco
Prevention Program
Nicotine: A Powerful
Addiction
If you have tried to quit smoking, you know
how hard it can be. It is hard because nicotine is a very addictive
drug. For some people, it can be as addictive as heroine or
cocaine. Quitting is hard. Usually people make four to seven quite
attempts before finally being able to quit for life. Each time you
try to quit, you can learn about what helps and what can hold you
back.
Good Reasons for Quitting
- Quitting is one of the
most important things you will ever do.
- Quitting will help you
live longer and better.
- Quitting will lower you
chances of having a heart attack, stroke or cancer.
- Quitting will improve
your chances of having a health baby if you’re pregnant.
- Quitting will make the
people you live with, especially your children, healthier.
- Quitting will give you
extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.
Within 20 Minutes of
Quitting…
Within 20 minutes of after you smoke that last
cigarette, you body begins a series of changes that continue for
years. Check it out.
| 20 minutes |
Heart rate drops |
| 12 Hours |
Carbon monoxide levels in your
blood drops to normal |
| 2 weeks -
3 months |
Heart attack risk begins to drop
Lung function begins to improve |
| 1 to 9 months |
Coughing and shortness of breath
begin to decrease |
| 1 year |
Added risk of coronary heart
disease is half that of a smoker |
| 5 years |
Stroke risk is reduced to that of
a non-smoker 5-10 years after quitting |
| 10 years |
Lung cancer death rate is about
half that of a smoker
Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus,
bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease |
| 15 years |
Risk of coronary heart disease
returns to that of a non-smoker |
5 Key Steps for Quitting
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Get Ready—Set a quit date
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Get Support—Talk to family, friends,
and your healthcare provider. Individual, group or telephone
counseling is only a free call away (1-877-822-6669)
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Learn New Skills and Behaviors—Change
your routine!
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Get Medication and Use it Correctly—Ask
your healthcare provider for advice
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Be Prepared for Relapses or Difficult
Situations—Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again.
Second Hand Smoke Stinks for
Everyone...
Second hand smoke hurts kids! It
can cause ear infections, bronchitis, asthma attacks, colds, coughs,
and even increase their chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (S.I.D.S.).
So, if you smoke perhaps its time to consider quitting by calling
Florida Quit Lifeline at 1-877-822-6669 or call the DeSoto
County Health Department at 1-863-993-4601
Register your family as a Smoke-Free Family, receive a FREE
smoke-free care package full of cool stuff!
To register your family call 863-993-4601 ext. 208
Students Working
Against Tobacco
In September of 2008 the Desoto
County Health Department’s Tobacco Prevention Program and the Desoto
County School District formed a S.W.A.T. Team (Students Working
Against Tobacco). S.W.A.T. is proud to have 13 founding members who
participate in many local events to help educate the community about
the ill effects of tobacco use.
The S.W.A.T. Team’s main purpose is
to educate the youth of Desoto County as to how they can prevent
tobacco use and how they are the main targets of Big Tobacco’s many
media campaigns. The team’s projects for the 2008-09 school year
include: The Great American Smoke Out, S.W.A.T. Holiday Card
presentation for the Chamber of Commerce, passing out informational
pamphlets at the Holiday Parade and Kick Butts Day.
Students of Desoto County High
School interested in joining the S.W.A.T. Team may contact the
advisor at 863-993-4601 ext. 208.
**The S.W.A.T. Website currently
being updated. The projected re-start is slated for January 2009**
Links to help
you or your loved one with tobacco addiction:
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