Tobacco Prevention Tobacco Prevention 101101

Miami-Dade County Health Department

Bureau of Tobacco Prevention Maysarih Ndobe, MPH, CHES

Miami-Dade County Health Department

• The mission of the Miami-Dade County Health Department is to promote and protect the health of our community through prevention and preparedness today, for a healthier tomorrow.

• The role of the Office of Community Health and Planning is to provide education in the community. The focus is on prevention through living a healthy lifestyle that includes eating well, exercising, and no tobacco use.

TOBACCO 101• Tobacco is the number one cause of

preventable death in the United States.

• Each day in the United States, approximately 4,000 youths aged 12-17 try their first

cigarette

• Almost 90% of tobacco users begin using before age 18

TOBACCO 101• 95% of all teenage smokers think

they’ll have quit within five years, but only 25% succeeded, eight years later.

• Tobacco use in adolescence is associated with many other health risk behaviors, including higher risk sexual behavior and use of alcohol or other drugs

• The best tobacco prevention programs are saving up to $3 in health care costs for every dollar spent

TOBACCO ADDICTION

• Tobacco addiction includes-Cigarettes-Cigars (i.e. black and mild,

dutch)-Smokeless Tobacco (Spit-

tobacco)-Bidis and Kreteks-Hookah-Cannabis (i.e. marijuana,

ganja, weed)

WHY IS TOBACCO HARMFUL?• Over 4000 chemical compounds

are created by burning a cigarette, many of which are toxic and/or carcinogenic.

• Tobacco use accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths

• Smoking is responsible for about 87% of lung cancer deaths

• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, and is one of the most difficult cancers to treat

WHY IS TOBACCO HARMFUL?

• Tobacco use is a major cause of heart disease, aneurysms, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke, and it makes pneumonia and asthma worse.

• Tobacco use effects EVERYONE!

WHAT’S IN TOBACCOAcetone –found in finger nail polish remover

Ammonia – used in household cleaning compounds

Arsenic – commonly used in rat poison.

Butane – key ingredient in lighter fluid

Cadmium – active component in battery acid

Carbon Monoxide – the same gas released from your car’s exhaust system

DDT/Dieldrin – a poison used in commercial insecticides

• Used from 1954 to 1999, Marlboro Man is said to be one of the most brilliant and successful ad campaigns of all time.

• Sadly the two original Marlboro men died of (you guessed it) Lung Cancer.

“We don’t smoke it; we just sell it. We reserve the right to smoke for the young, the black, the poor, and the stupid.” RJ Reynolds Executive.

Claude Teague - CEORJ Reynolds TobaccoMakers of Camel

IS IT A CRIME?

• Big Tobacco spends millions upon millions of dollars lobbying politicians and government for this not to occur.

BIG TOBACCO COMPANIES

BIG TOBACCO COMPANIES

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO QUIT?

Mark Twain said:

“Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it a

thousand times”

NICOTINE

•Highly addictive drug

•Body becomes physically and psychologically dependent

•Quitting or cutting back leads to withdrawal symptoms

Benefits for Quitting

•Live longer and better•Lowers chances of

heart attack, stroke, or cancer

•Improve chances of having a healthy baby

•Will make those who live with you healthier

•Extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes

QUITTING•20 min: blood pressure

returns to normal

•24 hours: Chance of heart attack decreases

•2 weeks - 3months: Circulation and lung function improves

•5 years out: lung cancer death rate for the average smoker will decrease to almost 50%

Smoking Cessation Classes

• Miami-Dade Area Health Education Center

– Phone: 305-597-3645– Email: smokefree@mdahec.org– Website: www.mdahec.org

Florida’s Quit-For-Life Line provides tobacco cessation services

• People wishing to quit can get help by calling the Florida Quit-For-Life Line

toll-free at 877-U CAN NOW.

• The Quitline is available in English, Spanish, Creole

and TDD for the hearing impaired.