Take the secondhand out of smoking

What is Secondhand Smoke?

Secondhand smoke is the combination of smoke coming out of the end of a cigarette and the smoke being breathed out by smokers. It can contain more than 7,000 chemicals some that are dangerous and some that cause cancer. Most exposure to secondhand smoke happens at home or in the workplace.

Just how bad is secondhand smoke?

One of nine people who die from a tobacco-related illness is a non-smoker. A non-smokers’ risk of heart disease goes up 25-30% when exposed to secondhand smoke. And, children of parents who smoke get sick more frequently and are more likely to develop asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and even ear infections.  Pets are also susceptible to asthma, cancer and other respiratory illnesses from secondhand smoke. Could you be making those you love sick? Even if you smoke outside of your house, the smoke that lingers on your clothes and around you as you come back inside is detrimental to the health of others around you.

February is Heart Health month and smoking is a leading contributor to heart disease. You can protect your heart and protect the lungs and lives of your loved ones and the ones around you by quitting smoking now and making sure the environment they live in is smoke-free.   King County makes it free for you to quit by covering medication, over the counter therapies and Quit For Life.

Quit Tobacco Resources

King County employee resources:

• Free customized support - Quit For Life. Provided by King County for employees and their family members over 18, this program provides a customized plan to help you quit tobacco. Quit For Life is the Nation's most successful tobacco cessation program and is confidential. Receive free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) mailed directly to your home. Call 1-866-Quit-4-Life (1-866-784-8454) to register.
  
• Reimbursement for the patch and other nicotine replacement treatment – Both KingCare^SM and Group Health offer free or reimbursed over-the-counter drugs such as the patch, gum etc. Go to the Health Matters Quit Tobacco site or call 206-684-1556 for details.
  
• See your doctor - Group Health and Aetna/KingCare^SM members may schedule a visit with their doctor for tobacco cessation help including developing a quit plan and discussing available pharmacological and over-the- counter medications. Your provider can help you determine which quit methods are right for you. Your KingCare^SM visit is covered at 100%. Group Health copays apply.

Community resources:

• Washington State Quit Line – 1-800-QUIT-NOW or online at www.quitline.com. The Quit Line provided telephone coaching and an internet-based quit tool. It's free to anyone living in Washington state.
  
• Public Health - Seattle & King County – call 206-296-7613 for information on community resources and other tools to help you quit.
  
• American Lung Association - Free online support through Freedom from Smoking. Freedom from Smoking community support groups (7-week sessions) are open to everyone. Find a session near you through the website.
  
• American Cancer Society – 800-ACS-2345 or online at www.cancer.org.