Quitting Tobacco in 2014

New Year’s Day represents the fresh start that we anticipate each year, and Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is encouraging people who use tobacco to set a quit date by January 1, 2014. Setting a quit date is a great first step towards regaining your freedom from tobacco. According to the American Cancer Society, people who plan their quit day in advance DOUBLE the odds of staying tobacco-free for life.

Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure to cause 443,000 deaths each year in the United States – that’s 1 out of every 5 people. It is NEVER too late to quit – your body begins to heal after only 20 minutes of smoking your last cigarette. Quitting is hard, but with the right tools, resources and support, you can do it!

The JCPH Tobacco Prevention Initiative offers a 2014 New Year’s Resolution infographic to help tobacco users navigate the journey of quitting. This educational handout provides reasons to quit, steps to design a quit plan, a tracking tool and tips on staying tobacco-free. JCPH also offers an online nine day quit guide to help you stay on track.

There are numerous additional resources to help you quit smoking or quit using other tobacco products. Consider some of the following free resources to help you in your journey to quit: 

• For telephone support, coaching and resources to help you or a loved one become tobacco-free; call the Colorado Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). The QuitLine also has a web-based support, www.coquitline.org. This free service provides information and tools to tailor your own personal plan for quitting. 
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched www.TobaccoFreeCO.org, an online web hub that connects visitors to a variety of resources and topics including cessation services and information on preventing secondhand smoke exposure and youth tobacco use. 
• COQuitMobile is a free text-based program that places you on the path to a life free from tobacco. 
• You may also visit the Ready to Quit Page on the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Website for a list of additional resources and videos that will encourage and help you to quit. 
• Tips from Former Smokers is a powerful CDC national campaign that encourages people to quit smoking by highlighting the toll that smoking-related illnesses take on smokers and their loved ones.
• View this American Lung Association Fact Sheet about what resources are covered under the new guidelines of the Affordable Care Act.

Perfect Time to Quit!

Anytime is the perfect time to quit smoking, however a lot of people are inspired by the New Year.  For those who want to quit, there are several helpful resources available.

• Colorado Quitline - 1-(800) QUIT NOW – This service offers free phone coaching over multiple sessions to help you quit with a trained cessation specialist.  It also includes help to get nicotine patches.
• The American Legacy Foundation’s web-based support offers another free resource for those ready to quit.
• Kaiser Permanente has a series of free webinars to support quitting. Break Free for Life, Freedom from Tobacco, and Quit Tobacco Successfully are designed for the busy person who wants to customize their own plan and get ongoing support.
• For spit or chew tobacco users, try www.mylastdip.com for a self-help approach to quitting.
• High school students wanting help with quitting should check with their school counselor or contact the American Lung Association of Colorado about Not On Tobacco groups. These 10 session series help teens with skills and resources to navigate the quitting process and stay quit. Visit www.notontobacco.com or call the Colorado office of American Lung at (303) 388-4327.
• Get more resources on how to quit here.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers in general.  But there is good news for those who can drop the habit.  Quitting smoking has immediate as well as      long-term benefits for you and your loved ones.  Don’t give up and don’t be afraid to ask for help or utilize the resources listed above! For more information on tobacco, please visit us online at jeffco.us/health.

Today is Earth Day

The earth is like our body. We need to eat right and exercise – take care of our bodies. Likewise we need to respect and take care of the earth. Everyone has a right to a clean and healthy environment regardless of race ethnicity or socio-economic status. 



Our planet, our home is being neglected. Climate change continues unabated. It seems there's a new ecological disaster happening almost daily. This Earth Day it's time to mobilize the planet from the ground up to send a message that the Earth won't wait! Do a good deed for the earth today on Earth Day and everyday.

Earth Day Website
JCPH Recycling Resources