Every day, we do what we can to make Oregon a healthier place through affordable health care, disease prevention and health promotion. Tobacco use, however, is still the number one cause of disease and preventable death in Oregon – and the U.S.
Oregon has made enormous progress in the fight against tobacco, yet it is still the source of heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and several cancers. Every year 7,000 people in Oregon – roughly the population of Milton-Freewater – die prematurely from tobacco use. For every death another 20 people suffer from a tobacco-related illness or disability. Each year, tobacco costs Oregonians $2.5 billion in direct costs such as medical expenditures, and indirect costs such as lost wages due to premature death.
Roughly three out of four Oregonians who smoke want to quit. Next Thursday, November 20, is the Great American Smokeout, and an opportunity for smokers to make a plan to quit – for a day or for good. Oregon’s Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW; 1-800-784-8669) provides coaching and nicotine replacement therapy support to Oregonians who want to kick the addiction. In 2013, the Oregon Quit Line helped more than 8,500 people.
Our Smokefree Oregon campaign is leading the movement to breathe cleaner air, help smokers quit, keep our kids from starting, and build a healthier Oregon. Today people in Oregon live, work, play and learn in tobacco-free buildings, workplaces, and public spaces. These smoke-free environments encourage tobacco users to quit, protect people from secondhand smoke and model tobacco-free living for Oregon’s youth.
If you need help learning to live without tobacco, or want to encourage your family and friends, visit the Oregon QuitLine or SmokeFree Oregon to learn how to make Oregon a healthier and smokefree place to live. |
