Great American Smokeout 2020
Join the Nevada Tobacco Prevention Coalition to participate in the Great American Smokeout this year on November 19th. The Great American Smokeout is a challenge for people who smoke to commit to healthy, smoke-free lives. Smoking remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, accounting for 29% of all cancer deaths. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Tobacco use kills more people than alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, fires, AIDS, murders and suicides combined.
Nevadans are experiencing a resurgence of tobacco use in the form of a youth vaping epidemic. In the last year alone, vaping among high schoolers increased by 78%. Vaping can expose the user’s lungs to harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde, which are known to cause irreversible lung damage. 41,000 Nevada kids (under 18) currently living in Nevada will ultimately die prematurely from smoking.
Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, including the lungs. In addition to causing lung cancer, smoking also makes chronic lung disease worse and increases the risk of severe illness from infections like pneumonia and the flu. Adults who smoke have an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 as well.
Resources to Help Quit Tobacco
Help your loved one quit tobacco for good: The Nevada Tobacco Quitline is a free, convenient, safe and secure way for you individuals thinking about quitting. You can access the Nevada Tobacco Quitline by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (from a Nevada area code) or 1-855-DEJELO-YA for service in Spanish. You can also visit https://nevada.quitlogix.org/.
For Teens who want to quit: There is also a FREE confidential texting line for teens to quit smoking or vaping called My Life My Quit. To enroll, teens just need to text “Start My Quit” to 855-891-9989 or visit https://mylifemyquit.com/.
For more information on the Great American Smokeout
