HEALTH SENSE
Great American Smokeout is a good place to start your tobacco-free life Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
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n Alaska, 2 out of 3 adults who smoke want to quit. The annual Great American Smokeout, scheduled for Nov. 19 this year, has helped many people start to quit tobacco use. The American Cancer Society supports the event every third Thursday of November. The Smokeout lasts for just one day, but it prepares people to plan and start quitting their tobacco use for good. “The pandemic has brought to light, perhaps more than ever, the
importance of staying healthy yearround and protecting our lungs,” said Christy Knight, program manager for Alaska’s tobacco prevention program. “We know that smoking weakens the immune system, which makes it harder for your body to fight viruses like COVID-19. On the Smokeout and every day of the year, our program has free resources like Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line to help people stop using tobacco and feel better right away.” Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States as well as in Alaska. Each year, smoking is linked to an
ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUPS Support for all Alaskans affected by mental illness: people living with mental illness and their families, friends, and loved ones. Share your experiences, discuss challenges, and receive support in a confidential environment. Join from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. No cost to participate. To learn more and view meeting schedule go to:
www.supportgroupscentral.com/NMAK To pre-register and access meetings: 1. Go to: www.supportgroupscentral.com/NMAK 2. Click on: “Not yet a Member?” 3. Create an account and return to the NMAK page 4. Register for an upcoming meeting under “Our Meeting Calendar” 5. Log on up to 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time
For more information, email alaskanami@gmail.com 12
November 2020 — AlaskaPulse.com
For more information about NAMI call NAMI Fairbanks at 907-456-4704 or email fairbanksnami@gmail.com
estimated 700 deaths and $575 million in health care costs in Alaska. Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, and breathing secondhand smoke can cause diseases and death. Every year in Alaska, tobacco causes more deaths than suicide, motor vehicle crashes, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, homicide and HIV/AIDS combined, as stated in the Tobacco Prevention and Control’s Annual Report. Over the past 50 years, health care providers have learned more about the harmful effects of tobacco use in all forms.
