Being Tobacco Free
Being tobacco-free means avoiding all tobacco products, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco or “chew,” and secondhand smoke. When people avoid tobacco, they help prevent almost all chronic diseases. When they quit smoking, they also help prevent chronic diseases for those around them.
Why is being tobacco-free important?
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. Tobacco use contributes to many unhealthy conditions and illnesses, including:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic lung diseases
- Emphysema
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Breathing secondhand smoke also contributes to these conditions.
Avoiding tobacco use can help you look and feel better now and keep you healthy for the future. Quitting tobacco can help you:
- Lower blood pressure and pulse
- Improve circulation
- Improve lung function
- Increase energy and stamina
- Improve sense of taste and smell
- Have healthy skin and teeth
- Have clean-smelling clothes, homes, and cars
- Save money
- Drastically reduce the risk of early death
Is Washoe County tobacco-free?
Most people in Washoe County do not use tobacco, and are protected from secondhand smoke:
- The majority of adults (80%) do not smoke, and they work in smoke-free workplaces (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2007, 2006)
- The majority of adults (82%) have made their homes smoke-free (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2006)
- The majority of high school students (83%) do not smoke, and almost all (94%) avoid “chew” (Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007)
