Kathy Baebler is a former smoker and now works for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department getting other people to quit.
From ads in various fashion magazines to tobacco products specifically marketed to women, the tobacco industry is constantly coming up with new ways to target women and glamorize tobacco.
The SLVHD wants to remind women of the dangers of smoking and encourage them to say no to smoking – there is nothing glamorous about smoking.
Women’s health and smoking:
• Since 1987, lung cancer has killed more women than breast cancer
• Cigarette smoking increases the risk for infertility, preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• Cigarette smoking kills an estimated 178,000 women in the United States annually.
• The three leading smoking-related causes of death in women are lung cancer, heart disease, and chronic lung disease.
• Women who smoke have an increased risk for other cancers, including cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx (voice box), esophagus, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and uterine cervix.
Benefits of quitting:
• Within 48 hours your sense of smell and taste begins to improve
• Within 72 hours your lung capacity increases
• Within three months you get sick less often
• After 1 year your risk of heart attack decreases by half
There are free and confidential resources available for those who want to quit:
The Utah Tobacco Quit Line at 1-888-567 TRUTH: people who call the quit line can speak with a quit counselor and get a plan that is specific to their quitting needs, whether they are a two-pack a day smoker or a half-pack-a-day smoker.
You can also visit Utah Quit Net at www.utahquitnet.com
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