Tobacco Use Prevention & Cessation Program

Preventing tobacco product use among youth is critical to ending the tobacco epidemic in the United States.

• Tobacco product use is started and established primarily during adolescence.
• Nearly 9 out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily first tried smoking by age 18, and 99% first tried by age 26.
• Each day in the U.S., about 1,600 youth smoke their first cigarette and nearly 200 youth become daily smokers.

If you are interested in cessation resources to distribute, educational presentations or trainings on tobacco use or vaping, or help with tobacco policy, contact the Perry County Health Department at 740-342-5179 to speak with Lesa Garey.

Becoming smokefree can be hard — for any person at any age — even if you don't smoke every day. The good news is that there are steps you can take before quitting that set you up for success.

Think about why you want to quit. Knowing your reasons can help you stay motivated.

• Make a plan. Set a quit date, research the methods available, and understand possible side effects.
• Avoid your triggers. Stay away from the people, feelings, or situations that make you want to smoke.
• Stay positive. Keep a positive mindset, focus on the present, and reward yourself for 24 hours smokefree!
• Ask for help. Tell friends and family you're quitting and need their support, and ask your doctor how they can help.

Enroll in Ohio's Tobacco Quit Line and receive free support to significantly increase your chances of quitting for good. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and speak with an intake specialist.

Ohio Tobacco Quit Line

The Ohio Tobacco Quit Line provides personal quit coaching and telephone counseling free of charge to all Ohioans, regardless of insurance status or income. There is a special protocol for pregnant women, and nicotine patches are provided for up to eight weeks at no charge to eligible participants.

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) from burning tobacco products causes disease and premature death among people who do not smoke. There is no safe level of exposure — even brief exposure can cause immediate harm.

Comprehensive smokefree laws prohibit smoking in all workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars, and fully protect people from secondhand smoke exposure.

Ohio's smokefree workplace law has expanded to include e-cigarettes. If you see someone using one inside, ask them to take it outside. To report a violation, call 1-866-559-OHIO.

• Opening a window or using a fan does not protect children.
• Air purifiers and air fresheners do not remove smoke's poisons.
• Smoke from one cigarette can stay in a room for hours — don't smoke at home, even when children aren't there.

No amount of secondhand smoke is safe. Even when you can't smell it, cigarette smoke can still harm your child.