|
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow."
 World "No Tobacco" Day: May 31, 2008
Tobacco-Free Youth Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world. It is the only legal consumer product that kills one third to one half of those who use it as intended by its manufacturers, with its victims dying on average 15 years prematurely. Approximately 1.8 billion young people (aged 10-24) live in our world today with more than 85% found in developing countries. Having survived the vulnerable childhood period, these young people are generally healthy. However, as the tobacco industry intensifies its efforts to hook new, young and potentially life-long tobacco users, the health of a significant percentage of the world's youth is seriously threatened by their deadly products. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and child and adolescent experimentation can easily lead to a lifetime of tobacco dependence. In 2006, 9.5% of middle school students reported current use of any tobacco product. In 2006, 25.6% of high school students reported current use of any tobacco product. For more information go to: www.who.int/tobacco/wntd
Government Resources: Smokefree.gov: A Web site dedicated to helping you quit smoking. 1-800-Quit-NowA free service that can help you quit smoking or chewing tobacco. CDC: I Quit! What to Do When You're Sick of Smoking, Chewing, or Dipping. A booklet that will help you quit all tobacco products. CDC: Pathways to Freedom Guide that addresses tobacco issues specific to African Americans. Questions and Answers About Smoking Cessation A fact sheet from the National Cancer Institute. Quit Smoking Tools and guides to help you quit smoking. Quit Tips: Five tips to help you quit. Tobacco Cessation-You Can Quit Smoking Now! The latest information to help you quit from the Surgeon General's Web site. Smokefree.gov: A Web site dedicated to helping you quit smoking. You Can Quit Smoking A consumer guide to help you become tobacco free. Other Resources: American Cancer Society A guide to help you quit smoking. American Heart Association 1-800-AHA-USA1 American Legacy FoundationA 5-day plan to get ready to quit. American Lung Asssociation 1-800-LUNG-USA Health Consequences of Smoking-Flash presentation A presentation illustrating how smoking damages nearly every organ in the body. (You will need the free Adobe Flash Player installed on your computer to see this presentation. Download Flash.) |