VALLEY CITY, N.D. (CCHD) – Ditch the dip with help from your local public health office during Through With Chew Week February 21-27. Smokeless tobacco users are encouraged to make the Great American Spit Out on February 25 their designated quit date. Setting a quit date greatly improves a tobacco user’s chance at success.
Both City-County Health District and Central Valley Health District have the tools and resources for smokeless tobacco users who want to quit tobacco. Both public health units are educating the community about how smokeless tobacco can cause harm and encourage young people never to start using these products.
In 2019, nearly 12% of North Dakota adult males reported using smokeless tobacco in the last 30 days. Both adult and high school-aged males currently use smokeless tobacco more than six times the females’ rate. City-County Health District and Central Valley Health District recognizes the most effective way to quit tobacco is to make a quit plan. Our offices assists those wanting to quit tobacco by providing educational materials and tobacco cessation resources. In addition, the statewide tobacco cessation program, NDQuits, offers free support and coaching through phone and web programs.
“Quitting smokeless tobacco now, reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, birth defects, and even death,” said Nancy Neary with Central Valley Health District. “Using any tobacco product poses a risk to your health, and Through With Chew Week is a great time to take back control of your health.”
“There is no such thing as safe a tobacco product,” said Heather Schwehr with City-County Health District. “The fact is smokeless tobacco is harmful and can cause a number of health risks that are associated with its use. Tobacco users should use the Great American Spit Out as an opportunity to quit.”
Reducing the rate of smokeless tobacco use is a top priority for public health because it reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, birth defects, and even death. Events like Through With Chew Week and the Great American Spit Out give us the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and take action against tobacco use, the leading cause of preventable death and disease in North Dakota.
City-County Health District and Central Valley Health District both have a tobacco treatment specialist (TTS), Heather Schwehr and Nancy Neary respectively, A TTS receives specialized training about tobacco-related health conditions, cessation medications, and behavioral counseling. Through behavioral counseling, a tobacco treatment specialist helps you develop a quit plan that breaks routines to avoid triggers and prepare for cravings to make your quit attempt more successful. Schwehr and Neary can recommend cessation medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Receiving counseling and using cessation medications more than double your rate of success.