Delaware County Council and the Delaware County Tobacco-Free Coalition urge all county residents, young and old, to quit using any kind of nicotine product, including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.

Every year, on the third Thursday in November, the American Cancer Society and its partners encourage people to give up all tobacco products for one day as part of the Great American Smokeout. The hope is that first step leads to a tobacco-free lifestyle for life.

“Thanks to education and outreach efforts by many public health organizations, we are all aware of the toll that tobacco use takes on our health,” said Councilman Michael Culp. “While we have made progress in reducing tobacco use, nearly one in five Americans still smokes, and more than 2,800 kids try their first cigarette, which today might be an e-cigarette.”

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At a recent meeting, Delaware County Council was joined by members of the Delaware County Tobacco Free Coalition to recognize the Great American Smokeout. Council also recognized student winners of the Great American Smokeout Youth Essay Contest. The students each wrote a letter to a family member encouraging them to quit smoking and telling them about the dangers of smoking.

“The essays written by the young students really had a strong impact,” said Culp. “All the children had someone special in their lives – a parent, a grandparent – who they wanted to quit smoking because they want to have them in their lives for a long time.”

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of premature death in the U.S. Tobacco kills 480,000 people each year, and its costs the U.S. about $170 billion in healthcare expenditures.

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