Tobacco use is the #1 preventable cause of death and disease in the United States and North Carolina. Campaign for tobacco-free kids and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that tobacco kills more than 400,000 people annually – more than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined.
Within 20 minutes after you smoke your last cigarette, your body begins a series of positive health changes that continue for years. Even if you have smoked for a long time, you can still improve and protect your health by quitting.
The benefits of quitting tobacco use are instrumental in living a quality life. Resources to quit are found at NC Quitline and Become an Ex. Please link to these websites that provide a wealth of tools on how to quit and how to stay tobacco free.
ASSIST stands for the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study. Project ASSIST is a community coalition that focuses on educating the community on the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure and encouraging businesses/organizations to adopt a tobacco-free policy.
Interested in joining the movement to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure in public places? The good news is WE KNOW WHAT WORKS and we are making steady progress in North Carolina and the nation. Project ASSIST works on this complex public health problem by building support for proven strategies to:
- Build support for state/local public policies to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure
- Educate employers on the benefits of offering cessation coverage
- Promote the use of Clinical Practice Guidelines
- Promote the North Carolina Quitline
- Increase tobacco free policies in worksites.
For more information on please call 919-250-4731.