NORWICH – With the start of the new year, the national Center for Disease Control is encouraging people to make quitting smoking their new year’s resolution.
The CDC says seven out of 10 smokers make a pledge to quite every Jan. 1, but many try several times before they actually succeed. Among current U.S. adult cigarette smokers, 68.8 percent report that they want to quit completely.
While Chenango County lacks a program committed solely to smoking cessation and tobacco use, the county health department is making smokers aware of other options available to help.
“Quitting is one of the best things someone can do for their health and the health of the people around them,” said Darlene Gramstead, Director of Patient Services for the Chenango County Health Department. “Smokers need to take the first step to quit. They have to set the date, set their goals, and stick to those goals.”
In Chenango County, the number of adults who smoke is alarmingly high, exceeding the statewide percentage. According to the 2013 Chenango Health Department community health assessment, the percentage of adults who smoke reached 25 percent in the county, whereas the New York State average is only 17 percent.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death across the state, causing illness expenses in New York to exceed $8 billion annually and results in more than 25,400 deaths.
To help in the fight against smoking, the Chenango Health Department works jointly with several local entities including the Bassett Healthcare Network, UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital, Opportunities for Chenango’s Women Infants and Children (WIC) and Head Start programs, and the Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network of South Central New York.
“One of the things the county offers for expecting moms through the Baby and Me program is a diaper coupon for mothers who quit smoking,” Gramstead said. If a mother remains smoke free, she receives a monthly diaper voucher for up to six months postpartum. And given the urgency of the issue, Gramstead said there’s additional incentive for new moms starting at the beginning of the year.
“As of January, we’re going to extend that program, so people will be eligible for up to two vouchers each month,” she said.
But for many smokers, the best resources are online. Gramstead cited available websites administered by the NY State Health Department and CDC. Telephone supports is also available through the NY Quits hotline by calling 1-866-NY-QUITS.
“There are definite benefits to quitting smoking,” Gramstead pointed out. The CDC says benefits include:
• Lowered risk for lung cancer and many other types of cancer
• Reduced risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease
• Reduced coronary heart disease risk within 1 to 2 years of quitting
• Reduced respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. The rate of decline in lung function is slower among people who quit smoking than among those who continue to smoke.
• Reduced risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the leading causes of death in the United States
• Reduced risk for infertility in women of reproductive age. Women who stop smoking during pregnancy also reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby.
For additional information on quitting smoking, contact the Chenango Health Department at (607) 337-1660.