Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and in Colorado. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the U.S., an estimated 480,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke and another 16 million live with a disease caused by smoking.
Las Animas and Huerfano counties are part of the Southeast Regional Tobacco Initiative, working together to end tobacco use in southeast Colorado. It takes the average person seven attempts to quit smoking before they succeed. Quitting can be a difficult process, but it is not impossible.
How to Quit
2Morrow Health Mobile App - The Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) is collaborating with 2Morrow Health, Inc. to offer a novel smoking and vaping cessation program, available through a smartphone app, to Colorado residents. This program is free for eligible individuals until July 2024.The app uses a behavioral model called “acceptance and commitment therapy” that helps participants learn how to cope with triggers that make it difficult to quit tobacco.
Colorado QuitLine – Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or sign-up online. Get one-on-one support from an expert quit coach. Quitting tobacco is a process. Whether you are thinking about quitting, are not yet ready to quit, or have already quit, Colorado QuitLine can help you with each step of the way. There is a chance to get free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), such as patches or gum.
SmokeFree – This website is loaded with information from how to quit, navigating challenges many face when quitting, how to stay smoke free, and helping others quit. Tailored resources are available in Español, and for veterans, women, teens, and people ages 60+. With tools from online coaching, text message programs for 24/7 support, and mobile applications, consider using this resource to help make the next quit attempt your last!
Tobacco Free Colorado - Decades of progress in fighting tobacco has saved the lives of countless Coloradans. Smoking rates in our state are at an all-time low. But far from retreating, the tobacco industry has shown deadly determination to hook new users – on new products. Visit Tobacco Free Colorado to learn more about preventing tobacco use, new tobacco products on the market, and available resources for those who want to quit using tobacco products.
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in this country, killing 53,000 nonsmokers in the U.S. each year. For every eight smokers the tobacco industry kills, it takes one nonsmoker with them. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, a pollutant that causes serious illness in adults and children.
Learn more about the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Vaping
E-cigarettes have the potential to benefit adults who smoke and who are not pregnant if used as a complete substitute for regular cigarettes and other smoked tobacco products, but they are not safe for youth, young adults, and pregnant women, as well as adults who do not currently use tobacco products.
Get the facts about electronic cigarettes, their health effects and the risks of using e-cigarettes.
Report a Violoation
Visit this link to Report a Violation.
Sources: American Nonsmoker's Rights Foundation; Electronic Cigarettes Information from the CDC ; Tobacco Free Colorado ; Smoke Free Information