Each year more than 8,000 Kentuckians die of illnesses caused by tobacco use. Some die of lung cancer, while others fall victim to cardiovascular disease. Annually, Medicaid and Medicare costs exceed an estimated $1.2 billion for treatment of Kentuckians suffering smoking-related diseases and conditions. This equals $300 for each of the four million people living in Kentucky.
To help ease the toll tobacco takes on the health of Kentuckians, the state Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program has adopted the four Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) goals for reducing the negative health effects of tobacco use:
No person is turned away for their inability to pay.
In addition to the services expanded in the navigation to the left, we also offer the following:
- Preventing the initiation of tobacco use among young people
- Promoting cessation among young people and adults
- Eliminating non-smokers exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
- Identifying and eliminating the disparities related to tobacco and its effects on different population groups
The program mission is to reduce preventable and premature deaths attributed to tobacco use by implementing programs to decrease tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. This includes local and statewide programs encouraging youth not to use tobacco products and helping those who want to quit in doing so.
If you smoke just one pack a day of name brand cigarettes, you spend about $1600 a year. What can you buy for yourself and your family for $1600?
Did you know that within minutes after you quit smoking your life will change? Here’s how!
- within 20 minute, your blood pressure and pulse rate decrease
- within 8 hours, carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal
- after 1 day, your chance of heart attack begins to decrease
- after 2 days, you redevelop a better sense of smell and taste
- after 2 weeks to 3 months, your circulation improves and your lung function increases
- 1-9 months, coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease
- within 1 year, the likelihood of a heart attack is cut in half
The Freedom From Smoking program is an effective program that uses nicotine replacement therapy (i.e. patch, gum, lozenge), education, and social support to help participants become non-smokers. Participants will learn how to choose the most appropriate nicotine replacement product, coping strategies, and most importantly, how to prevent relapse. With the support group structure of the class, all participants get tips and advice from people who are going through many of the same issues. The classes consist of 8 one hour weekly sessions. Nicotine replacement therapy products are free when available. Participants are responsible for the cost of the product when unavailable.
