Program urge tobacco users to quit

  • Published
  • By Jenny Pearson
  • 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE,Calif. --  For nearly 20 years, few of the major tobacco companies sold smokeless tobacco, but now they all do. Smokeless products like Snus, Orbs and dissolvable strips have become the next frontier for the tobacco industry.

Trends show that cigarette sales are declining while smokeless tobacco sales are on the rise. Tobacco companies aggressively target young adults ages 14 to 25 and spent more than 350 million on advertising.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, smokeless tobacco can cause oral and pancreatic cancer, periodontal disease and lead to nicotine addiction and dependence.

The amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco is three to four times that delivered by cigarettes.

A new awareness campaign to educate Americans about the hazards of smokeless tobacco is called "Through with Chew" (http://www.throughwithchew.com/). Feb. 20 through 26 is dedicated to this promotion while "The Great American Spit Out" (http://www.ucanquit2.org/facts/gaspo/default.aspx) is slated for Feb. 24.

Although tobacco advertising targets young adults, tobacco use in military and veteran populations is high. In the short term, tobacco use impairs military readiness by reducing members' physi¬cal fitness, impairing visual acuity and contributing to hearing loss. Over the long term, it causes serious health problems, including lung cancer and chronic obstruc¬tive pulmonary disease. Tobacco use also contributes to numerous other health problems, including cardiovascular disease, infections and delayed wound-healing.

Fewer than one in five Americans use tobacco, but more than 30 percent of ac¬tive-duty military members and about 22 percent of veterans use tobacco. Of greater concern, the rate of tobacco use in the military has increased since 1998, threatening to reverse the steady decline seen over the last several decades. Furthermore, smoking rates among military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be 50 percent higher than rates among non-deployed military personnel.

People who use either from of tobacco can quit, and the Health and Wellness Center is ready to assist. The HAWC can help in several ways, even for those who have quit and started again. One way is through the American Cancer Society's, Fresh Start program. Professionally trained instructors help smokers break the addiction through positive thinking, alternative behaviors, nicotine replacement therapy, one-on-one help, rewards and group support.

The HAWC also offers one-on-one counseling, web-based tobacco cessation programs and quit lines. These services are offered to all Team Travis members, including dependents. Call the HAWC and become a "quitter!"

For more information, contact the HAWC at 424-4634.