BLOOMINGTON – Men’s Health Month is celebrated each June to raise awareness about health issues for men. Taking control of your health is essential, and one of the changes that can have the most powerful impact is quitting tobacco.
“Smoking raises the risk for heart disease, cancer, lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and diabetes—all of which are leading causes of death for men,” said IU Health Community Health Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Kristen Terry. “It also exposes the people around you to the harmful toxins in these products, which can hurt their health and the smokers’ health.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 19.4% of adults smoked in Indiana in 2020. The report shows that 15% of Americans smoked in 2020.
“This is not an area in which we want Indiana to be higher than the national average,” said Terry. “I encourage all smokers to make a tobacco cessation goal if you don’t already have one and start working toward that goal today.”
Terry encouraged those who may have tried to quit in the past to try again. Resources are available to help increase your odds of succeeding in being tobacco-free.
The Indiana Tobacco Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) offers free, evidence-based help to tobacco users to quit and stay quit. Visit QuitNowIndiana.com to find out more.
