City-County Health District is joining other activists nationwide on Friday, April 1, to participate in the National Day of Action: Take Down Tobacco Day.
Organized nationally by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Take Down Tobacco Day focuses on calling Big Tobacco's bluff and exposing them for who they are: jokers who gamble with people's lives.
Big Tobacco continues to aggressively market their products to fool another generation into nicotine addiction, especially to youth and vulnerable communities and populations. Take Down Tobacco Day focuses on education and advocacy to end Big Tobacco's reign.
The most recent data from North Dakota's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program for High School students shows:
5.9% currently smoke
21.2% use e-cigarettes/vapes
32.7% of e-cigarette/vape users want to quit
4.3% use smokeless tobacco
2.8% use cigars
For those in Middle School:
3.6% currently smoke
8.2% use e-cigarettes/vapes
52.8% of those who have ever used tobacco, report seriously thinking of quitting all tobacco use
1.3% use smokeless tobacco
1.6% use cigars
"Tobacco companies aggressively market deadly and addictive products while raking in billions of dollars in profits. They develop new products to hook kids while fighting policies that would reduce tobacco use," said Kaitlen Lee, registered nurse. "In a nutshell, they continue to lie, cheat and fool people into a lifetime of addiction, disease and death. But we're not fooled. We're going all-in to take down these jokers".
Barnes County residents can access local assistance to quit any commercial tobacco or vaping product at City-County Health District. Kaitlen Lee is a Tobacco Treatment Specialist who can help those who want to quit by developing a quit plan. The quit plan includes preparing for cravings and coping with withdrawal symptoms. Call 845-8518 to get started.