Alyson Lang, Trainer/Educator for the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program at the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services discussed her mission, to prevent Delawareans from picking up the tobacco habit, and to get user to quit! Alyson, a former smoker who understands both the pleasure one can get from nicotine and the difficulty of quitting, travels the state addressing schools and groups, offering cessation tools and classes. Delaware, she notes, is one of the few that can offer clients looking to quit all of the possible medical aids – a valuable tool as only 5% can quit ‘cold turkey.’ We discussed the dangers of smoking, tobacco is the #1 underlying cause of death in Delaware. Beyond the 11 distinct cancers linked to it, nicotine exacerbates other conditions from diabetes to cardio-pulmonary disease. She points out there is no ‘safe’ tobacco use, vaping, hookahs, chews and the new dissolvable all contain nicotine. We discussed the targeting of youth, people of color and Hispanic/Latino communities in tobacco company marketing.
She described the preparation for quitting, choosing a date in advance and obtaining the medication to begin before that ‘big’ day. She recommends having a ‘reason why,’ such as her promise to use the money she saved for spa treatments. She suggests we call the Delaware Quit Line at 866-409-1858 or go to QuitSupport.com to make a plan to quit, her office can prepare you with the medications that can help wean you off your tobacco addiction.
Learn more at HEALTHYDELAWARE.org