The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department recognizes today, March 9, 2022, as “National No Smoking Day”. Held the second Wednesday of every March, the day encourages people to reach out to family or friends who may suffer from nicotine addiction and remind them it is never too late to quit.
“We all know the dangers of tobacco and the negative impacts it has on everyone’s health,” said Dr. Sherri Young, Health Officer and Executive Director of the Kanawha Charleston Health Department. “If one person stops smoking today as a result of the encouragement of a family member or a friend, I consider that a success,” she added. “There are resources out there to help you quit, including resources from the West Virginia Tobacco Cessation Quitline and therapies from your primary care provider,” concluded Dr. Young.
The West Virginia Tobacco Cessation Quitline can be reached at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or by visiting https://wvtobaccoquitline.com/.
Tobacco use is a known cause of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 2 million people will be diagnosed with cancer across the country this year, and over 600,000 people will die of cancer. In West Virginia, it is estimated that 12,690 people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 4,460 people will die from the disease this year.
For more information on public health services offered by the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, please visit www.kchdwv.org or call (304) 348-8080.