tobacco free florida can double your chances of quitting smoking 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           Contact:  Communications Office

November 18, 2014                                                                                (850) 245-4111

                 media@tobaccofreeflorida.com

Tobacco Free Florida Can Double Your Chances of Quitting Smoking 

- Tobacco Users in Seminole and Orange County are Encouraged to Make a Quit Plan During the
Great American Smokeout -

Sanford, Fla. – The Great American Smokeout is Thursday, November 20. Tobacco Free Seminole Partnership, The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County, and Tobacco Free Florida are encouraging tobacco users in Seminole County to plan in advance to quit on that day or to use the day to make a quit plan. Local community business in Lake Mary, Longwood and Oviedo will be hosting worksite activities for the Great American Smoke Out with the purpose to promote benefits of tobacco cessation and to encourage employees to have tobacco free lifestyles. The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County will have a table display on November 20^th with educational resources for individuals looking to quit smoking tobacco.  

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County’s Tobacco Free Florida program will be partnering with local businesses in Orlando and in the Winter Park area as well as the University of Central Florida (UCF) to host local events.  In addition, Area Health Education Center (AHEC) will be hosting a Tools to Quit Class at the Central Campus located at 832 W. Central Blvd. on Thursday, November 20th from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

The Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, is currently in its 39^th year. The observance raises awareness about the dangers of smoking and the many effective resources available to successfully quit.

“The Great American Smokeout provides an opportunity to take the first step in the decision to quit smoking. Tell a loved one, a neighbor, any smoker in your life how quitting can help prevent cancer and chronic disease. It can give back years of life that could have been lost by continuing to smoke,” said Dr. Swannie Jett, Health Officer of the Department of Health in Seminole County.

“We know that tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States and we know quitting is hard, however, our local AHEC and Quitline has the resources to help you quit.  Make today the day you quit smoking and take an important step towards living a healthier life,” said Dr. Yolanda Martínez, Director Office of Community Health, Department of Health in Orange County.

While quitting tobacco is difficult, it is not impossible. There are more former smokers in Florida than there are current smokers.[i] Those who have tried to quit in the past but relapsed are encouraged to try again. Many former smokers have made several attempts before quitting permanently.[ii]

“There are free, evidence-based resources readily available for Floridians to increase their chances of successfully quitting tobacco,” said Tobacco Free Florida Bureau Chief Shannon Hughes. “These resources can be the start of a healthier life for you, your family and your community. “

Tobacco Free Florida offers 3 Free & Easy Ways to Quit:

• CALL: Call the Florida Quitline at 1-877-U-CAN-NOW to speak with a Quit Coach who will help assess a user’s addiction and help create a personalized quit plan.
• CLICK: Enroll in the Web Coach®, which will help to create a web-based quit plan unique to each individual user, visit https://www.quitnow.net/florida.
• COME IN: Sign up for group classes at your local Area Health Education Center (AHEC) by calling 1-877-848-6696 or visiting http://www.ahectobacco.com/

Since 2007, more than 93,400 Floridians have successfully quit using one of these free services. For more information, please visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com.

ABOUT TOBACCO FREE FLORIDA

The Department’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund.

Tobacco users interested in quitting are encouraged to use one of the state’s three ways to quit. To learn more about Tobacco Free Florida and the state’s free quit resources, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.

The Department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. During 2014, the Department is recognizing 125 years of public health in Florida with educational opportunities and events. Please visit www.FLHealth125.gov for more information.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook.  For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.floridahealth.gov.