Mississippi ranks 46th in the nation for tobacco use. We are still killing ourselves, slowly. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) Office of Tobacco Control, 1,900 Mississippians die each year from lung cancer.
Becky Smith, a 36-year-old mother who lives in Madison County decided to quit because she wanted to live for her baby. “I started smoking cigarettes when I was 14. I thought I was cool. Because I couldn’t see lung cancer, I didn’t think about it.” Smith added, “I care about my health now, and the health of my baby. I learned that secondhand smoke is incredibly dangerous and could give my baby cancer. I didn’t want to do that to him.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 20 percent of all adults in Mississippi smoke. That is significantly higher than the national rate of just 15 percent.
“If you are a smoker, quitting is the best bet against lung cancer,” said Linda Jordan-Jefferson, Director of the Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition of Madison, Yazoo and Holmes Counties. “In Mississippi only 5 percent of high-risk individuals get screened for lung cancer. We want to see rates much higher than that. Getting a diagnosis is the first step and the most important step once you quit.”
“Quitting smoking was hard work, and I’m glad I had help,” said Becky. Using programs like those offered through the MSDH can increase the likelihood of quitting and staying smoke free for life.
Linda Jordan-Jefferson reminds all Mississippians that the Health Department stands ready to support you on your smoke-free journey.
“One call to 1-800-QUIT-NOW can change your life for the better. We offer one on one support that has been tested for over 25 years. Our program has helped countless Mississippians, and we want to help you too,” Linda Jordan-Jefferson said.
For information about the dangers of cigarettes visit www.healthyms.com/tobacco For help with quitting visit www.quitlinems.com, or call the Mississippi Tobacco Quitline at
1-800-QUIT-NOW.
