May 31 is World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day will be observed on May 31.

It is a day that is used to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the globe and help draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to the negative health effects.

The day is celebrated annually and is a time to draw attention to the fact that five million die from using tobacco every year, and another 600,000 die from second-hand smoking.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day in 1987.

Tobacco?

In case you didn't know – tobacco is a leafy plant that is grown in hotter climates and can be smoked, chewed or sniffed.

When a person absorbs the plant, the addictive chemical nicotine inside is released into the bloodstream.

Nicotine speeds up your heart rate, raises your blood pressure and can make one feel more energetic for a temporary amount of time.  

However, the lasting effects are much more dangerous.

You can help.

Unless we act, the epidemic will kill more than 8 million people every year by 2030.

Get involved and learn more at www.who.int.

Lung Cancer Screening Program

As the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States, lung cancer claims more than 160,000 lives annually. Most of these deaths are related to the effects of cigarette smoking. Until recently, there has not been a proven method for early detection of lung cancer, so most lung cancers were diagnosed in later stages when they were more difficult to treat.

Today, patients with a history of cigarette smoking can benefit from reliable screening for early detection in the form of a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. The Outpatient Imaging Departments at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, Richmond Memorial Hospital, Montgomery Memorial Hospital and Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus offer the Lung CT Screening.

To view Frequently Asked Questions about Lung Cancer Screenings at FirstHealth, please click here.

For more information for you or your physician’s office or to schedule this exam, call (855) 715-2258.

Are you ready to quit tobacco?

FirstQuit is a comprehensive program run by FirstHealth Community Health Services. The program uses the latest techniques to assist tobacco users through the process of quitting smoking, chewing and other forms of tobacco use.

The program includes:

• Customized quit plan
• Small group and one-to-one health education
• Identification of triggers
• Coping strategies
• Medications (Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges)
• Regular support groups

Fees run from $5 to $50, based on household income. Programs are offered in Hoke, Moore, Montgomery and Richmond counties. For more information call toll-free (888) 534-5333.

FirstQuitY

Community Health Services offers one-on-one and group counseling to help teens in Moore county ages 13 to 18 years old quit tobacco.

To learn more about the program, or to sign up, call (888) 534-5333 or click here.