Tobacco use never starts out with someone smoking an entire pack of cigarettes in one sitting. It’s the sneaky result of what began as the occasional cigarette among friends or the old “it was just one of those days” and spiraled into daily cravings. Tobacco use is part three in the four part series on modifiable health risk behaviors.
Tobacco
When we think of tobacco, we’re not just talking cigarettes, but all forms of tobacco including cigars, dip, chew, snuff, snus, herbal cigarettes, pipe, hookah, electronic cigarettes and rolling tobacco.
What’s at risk?
On every tobacco product, there is a surgeon general warning stating the health risks associated with each product. Take a look at yours. What’s it telling you? What isn’t it telling you? Smokers are at an increased risk of heart disease, lung cancer, COPD, and premature death. If this list isn’t enough to change your mind about smoking, make your own list to help you quit. Keep it in a place where you can always see it; your wallet, at your desk, or as your phone background.
The Non-Smokers/ Users
If you’ve already made the decision not to smoke or use tobacco, you’re ahead of the game! Non-smokers have a significantly lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer and other conditions than smokers and tobacco users.
Secondhand smoke
Whether it’s from a family member, a friend or co-worker, secondhand smoke causes about 46,000 heart disease deaths and 3,400 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmoking adults every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Preventing secondhand smoke
While it may seem like a good option, opening up a car window is not protecting anyone in the vehicle from secondhand smoke. Maintaining your home and car as a smoke-free environment will help eliminate the chances for secondhand smoke, especially among your children.
Although many restaurants, cities and states have eliminated indoor smoking, many still allow smoking in public. Even if there is a designated non-smoking area, this does not limit your exposure to secondhand smoke.
Don’t allow people to smoke around you or your children and be sure their schools are a tobacco-free environment.
Quitting
The decision to quit smoking is a big one. It has to be entirely yours and you have to be committed to making a change in your behaviors. It won’t be easy, but no one’s telling you to go pavo frio. Many companies and organizations support your decision to become tobacco free and offer resources for you and your family members.
Check out the CDC.gov resources on tobacco free support and their educational campaign.
You can also call 1.800.QUIT.NOW (784.8669) to get connected to a helpline in your state and receive a free quit plan.
For more quitting materials, check out this list from Tobacco Free Kids in Spanish and English featuring the National Cancer Institute, National Women’s Health Information Center, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and more.
-The Healthy Latina
