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February 2005 |
Hoosiers can triumph over tobacco addiction
By Karla Sneegas
Hoosiers young and old visit www.WhiteLies.tv to tell us about their triumph over tobacco addiction.
A 28-year-old mother of four told us she started smoking at age 14. "Back then, it was just tobacco - no big deal," she wrote. But a little research showed her how bad cigarettes really are for you, and she finally quit.
Every story we receive is important, as these successes give hope to the three-quarters of a million Hoosiers who want to quit smoking for good.
Each year, more than 10,000 Hoosiers die from smoking-related illnesses, and tens of thousands more suffer from the diseases caused by tobacco use. The $1.6 billion in smoking-related health care expenses Hoosiers pay each year result in exceptionally high insurance costs.
Reducing the number of smokers will save lives and money. And with a healthier population and work force, Indiana would become a more attractive target for companies considering relocation or expansion.
Nearly 86 percent of smokers in Indiana report they want to quit, and two-thirds will try to quit in the next six months, But quitting smoking requires support, and every Hoosier can do his or her part to help.
Studies show that smokers who work in smoke-free workplaces are much more successful in their attempts to quit than those who are exposed to secondhand smoke. Bloomington has become a model community as we work to bring cleaner, healthier, smoke-free air to all Hoosiers. The city is implementing the final phase of its smoke-free ordinance on Jan. 1 when bars joined restaurants and worksites in becoming 100 percent smoke free.
Since more than eight out of every ten adult smokers started before the age of 18, it is imperative to address this issue with Hoosier youth. Voice, a youth-led statewide movement, is empowering teens with the knowledge they need to fight back against tobacco.
This fall, hundreds of Voice teens gathered at summits in Indianapolis and Jeffersonville to discuss marketing tactics used to target youth. These young leaders are now using local events and the www.Voice.tv Web site to spread these messages to peers. Thanks to Voice and other youth tobacco prevention activities in every county, Indiana's youth smoking rate has been cut by 26 percent in recent years.
About 200,000 Hoosiers quit smoking in 2004. To take the first step in becoming one of the thousands who will quit in 2005, visit www.WhiteLies.tv or call 866-515-5433. Request a "Quit Smoking" packet and make a difference for Indiana.
Karla Sneegas is executive director of Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation, Indianapolis.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008