Tobacco Prevention

GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT

Take that first step
The US Surgeon General has said, “Smoking cessation [stopping smoking] represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.”

You know smoking is bad. It's still the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers. It’s hard to quit smoking, but you can do it.

Don't you think it's time to put and end to it?

Inside ingredients of a cigarette

Look inside a cigarette. There are over 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke and about 70 of those chemicals are known to cause cancer. 

Get the facts:

  • Each year tobacco use kills over 480,000 American smokers.
  • Each day, more than 3,200 people younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette.
  • Smoking causes lung cancer, cancers of the lip, throat, larynx, bladder, pancreas, stomach, kidney and cervix, heart disease and stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

E-Cigarettes
Many people think that e-cigarettes are safe alternatives to smoking regular cigarettes. They're not! Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which causes addiction. When youth smoke e-cigarettes it can harm brain function and lead to continued tobacco product use. Get the facts about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes.   

Need Help?
Don't go it alone. Quitting smoking is hard on your own. It often takes smokers many attempts before quitting. Maybe you have been thinking about quitting. Maybe you have already quit and have some helpful tips to share.  Maybe you are trying to quit right now. Want help quitting? Go no further than your own backyard.

NY State is doubling your chances of quitting by offering free Nicotine Replacement Patches. See if you are eligible for a free starter kit.

Smoking Cessation Help Phone Numbers

  • NY Smoke Free - 1-866-697-8487
  • Centers for Disease Control - 1-800-QUIT-NOW
  • American Cancer Society support groups - 1-800-277-2345
  • American Lung Association - find a clinic near you, call 1-800-LUNGUSA
     

What to do when craving nicotine. The 5D’s:

  • Delay smoking when you get the urge. It will pass.
  • Drink water, chew gum or have a healthy snack to fight cravings.
  • Do something else to distract yourself. Take a walk, call a friend, keep your hands busy by doing chores or squeezing a rubber ball.
  • Deep breathing will relax you. Close your eyes and take 10 slow deep breaths or meditate.
  • Discuss your thoughts and feelings with someone close to you.