Say "Thanks" to a Recent Quitter

BACODA encourages you to say ‘Thank You’ to someone who quit smoking, and to understand the dangers associated with secondhand smoke exposure.

This New Year, the Bay Area Council On Drugs & Alcohol (BACODA) wants you to thank a parent who recently quit smoking. An estimated 20 percent of adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, and 7 out of 10 of them want to quit. Some adults who have quit smoking are parents, and their efforts to become smoke-free have made them role models for their children as well as other smokers in their families and communities. 

However, other parents continue to struggle with addiction to tobacco. 

Marian Bullard, the Matagorda County Community Coalition coordinator for BACODA believes you should show support for those who are trying to quit. 

“Parents send so much time taking care of their children but often place their own health last on the “to-do” list,” Bullard said. “Let parents who smoke know that taking care of themselves is important too. Their health matters!”

Smoking cessation treatment and social support derived from family and friends improve cessation rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

“Show your support by sending an e-card that encourages them to quit,” Bullard said. She also suggests researching the health benefits associated with quitting smoking and including those in the e-card. For example, Bullard suggests including secondhand smoke safety tips in the e-card.

Many parents are already aware that inhaling tobacco smoke can be dangerous. However, often people aren’t aware that there is no safe amount of secondhand smoke. The Surgeon General reports that tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals (including toxic substances like formaldehyde, arsenic, lead, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and butane), and that each year more than 300,000 children suffer from infections caused by secondhand smoke (including bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections). The Surgeon General also cited that cigarettes are responsible for more than $193 billion annually in health care costs in the United States.

“Often times parents aren’t aware that their smoking is actually causing their child’s ear infections or making their asthma worse,” Rusty Cockrell, assistant director for Youthworks said. “It’s all about education and prevention.”

Youthworks, BACODA’s prevention department, provides free prevention education services in elementary schools, junior high/middle schools and high schools. Last year, Youthworks provided prevention education to roughly 23,700 students across the Texas Gulf Coast (Southeast Harris, Brazoria, Galveston and Matagorda counties). They also provided free prevention services to an additional 6,100 adults.

In addition to prevention education, Youthworks offers free tobacco presentations to the general public. Topics include secondhand smoke exposure and prevention; how to say no to tobacco; how tobacco harms the lungs, and many more.

“We want to teach both children and adults the dangers of tobacco use in a way that works best for their age group,” Cockrell said. “We might simplify a lesson for elementary students, but will cover more science for adults and expectant parents interested in learning about tobacco use in-depth.”

Cockrell believes that for women planning to have children, it is important to understand the health risks associated with tobacco use. Smoking increases risk for adverse pregnancy-related health outcomes, including infertility, spontaneous abortion, low birth weight, neonatal mortality, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

According to the CDC’s “Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data,” only 16.2 percent of adults living in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas metropolitan area are current smokers (compared to 15.8 percent of adults in Texas). While the majority, 83.8 percent are not. In that same catchment area, 19.2 percent are former smokers, meaning they successfully quit smoking. 

“It’s always great to hear there are more non-smokers than smokers,” Bullard said. “It’s through prevention efforts and the implementation of successful environmental strategies, including those performed by BACODA, that the smoking rate is going down.”

In 2002, 21.7 percent of adults reported being current smokers; 5.5 percent more than the current reported rate. 

“It’s clear that it can be done; you can stop smoking for those you care about,” Cockrell said. “And ALL parents can protect their children from the dangers of secondhand smoke.” 

Cockrell suggests the following tips to help all parents protect their children: 

• Do not let people smoke around your children, and teach your children about the health risks of tobacco use and secondhand smoke. 
• Make sure your children's day care centers and schools are tobacco-free. A tobacco-free campus policy prohibits any tobacco use or advertising on school property by anyone at any time. This includes off-campus school events. 
• Make your home and car completely smoke-free. Opening a window does not protect you or your children from secondhand smoke.
• Ask your children’s day care centers and schools to schedule a tobacco presentation with BACODA. These FREE presentations can be geared towards any age group/or business and you may schedule multiple presentations on any topic throughout the year. 

For additional quitting help, visit www.smokefree.gov, www.women.smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

If you are interested in joining your community coalition, visit www.BACODA.org to learn more or call 1-800-510-3111 and ask for the Coalitions department. To schedule a free tobacco presentation ask for the Youthworks Department.