As the largest cause of preventable death in the United States, tobacco smoking causes nearly 1 in 5 deaths which is about 480,000 premature deaths annually. Tobacco use is associated with illness and death related to heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, and fire.

Tobacco products are not only harmful for the user, through secondhand smoke, tobacco can cause poor health and injury to non-tobacco users. Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke from the burning end of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by a smoker. No amount of secondhand smoke is safe. The Surgeon General has concluded that cleaning the air and ventilating buildings cannot remove secondhand smoke. The best way to limit secondhand smoke exposure is by creating no-smoking policies

Our mission is to reduce the use of tobacco and the burden it causes from related illness and disease in Cobb & Douglas counties by coordinating strategies in tobacco and vaping use prevention, providing technical assistance and training on policy development, serving as a resource for tobacco cessation, and providing education and materials for tobacco violation compliance.

 Program Objective

The Cobb & Douglas Public Health Tobacco & Vaping Prevention Program works to reduce disease, disability, and death related to use by addressing four goal areas:

• Preventing the initiation of tobacco and vaping use among young people
• Promoting quitting among young people and adults
• Eliminating nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke
• Identifying and eliminating the disparities related to tobacco and vaping use and its effects among different population groups.

Cobb & Douglas Public Health provides education and support for any school or business interested in creating stronger smoking policies. Under the advisement of a public health educator, CDPH, will review the standing policy and strategically develop a 3-step plan to successfully transition into a smoke-free or tobacco-free workplace.

 The 3-step plan includes:

1. Creating policy language
2. Forming a pre-adoption education campaign
3. Providing tobacco cessation resources

Benefits

Comprehensive smoking policies:

• Reduce secondhand smoke exposure
• Reduce smoking and vaping
• Improve indoor air quality
• Improve health
• Improve the quality of life
• Increase revenue for businesses
• Reduce absenteeism
• Increase productivity
• Reduce the risk of a fire incident
• Reduce costs associated with smoke damage, cleaning, and maintenance
• Provide a supportive environment for people interested in quitting smoking

 For more information on policy development or to request brochures and informational handouts on tobacco use, secondhand smoke and vaping use, please contact the Chronic Disease Prevention office at (770) 432-7937.