National Prevention Week: Tobacco use
National Prevention Week from May 12-18 is an annual health observance lead by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and supported locally by the Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership.
The observance is dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. Each day of the observance has a theme, and today's is prevention and cessation of tobacco use.
The issue: Smoking is the nation's largest preventable cause of disease and death. About one in four Americans -- 68 million people -- uses a tobacco product, with a large majority of them smoking cigarettes. The consequence of using tobacco in any form can be devastating: increased risk of cancer, reproductive issues, heart disease, stroke and death.
Fact: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among Americans. About 90 percent of lung cancer deaths among men and about 80 percent of lung cancer deaths among women are due to smoking, according to SAMHSA.
Prevention tip: Parents and caregivers should talk with their children from an early age about values and expectations regarding tobacco use. Use everyday events to start a conversation; if you see someone smoking, talk with your child about how tobacco hurts the body.