Wednesday, April 24, 2002

Smoke-free spring cleaning

LaGRANGE It's spring, a time of fresh beginnings, new life and the ever so glamorous spring cleaning. As many Georgians consider the undertaking of spring cleaning, many of them overlook an extremely important yet obvious element of a clean home the quality of the air inside the house.

A major contributor to poor indoor air quality is cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke. Secondhand smoke contaminates the air and is retained in clothing, curtains and furniture.

"Secondhand smoke increases health risks for the entire family, especially for infants and children. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the frequency of childhood asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, colds and sore throats," said Kathleen Toomey, MD, MPH, and director of the Georgia Division of Public Health. "Children of parents who smoke half a pack a day or more are at nearly double the risk of hospitalization for a respiratory illness."

UNITE Georgia, a state run program designed to educate the public on the hazards of smoking and provide support to people who want to quit, is urging Georgians to consider the consequences of secondhand smoke as they plan their spring cleaning. The program is offering a Smoke-Free Home kit that can be acquired free of charge by calling toll-free 1-877-270-STOP.

One way to combat secondhand smoke is to pledge to create a smoke-free home. Simple steps can be taken to create a smoke-free environment such as smoking outside the home, prohibiting visitors to smoke inside the home or quitting smoking completely.

"Smoke will lodge itself into every element of a home, and spring is a perfect time to rid your home of smoke. People who have made the commitment to establish a smoke-free home have cleaner homes and are healthier," said NaTasha Howard, tobacco program coordinator for the LaGrange Health District. "Many mention how much better they smell, their home smells and how much better food tastes in their house."

Besides being a smelly pollutant, secondhand smoke is a major health hazard to non-smokers and can often be a killer. Every year, thousands of otherwise healthy children develop asthma, pneumonia and other lung infections. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, a person's risk of developing cancer from secondhand smoke is about 100 times greater than from outdoor cancer-causing pollutants. It is estimated that more than 3,000 non-smokers die each year from lung cancer.

In addition, recent U.S. and European studies have discovered that dogs and rabbits are likely to develop health issues from secondhand smoke that they normally would not contract.

Outside the health risks, making the commitment to stop smoking indoors can have an economic effect on the home. Less time, energy and money will be spent on cleaning curtains, walls, windows and mirrors. More importantly, a smoke-free home can receive lower insurance rates due to the fact that last year nationwide more than 1,000 house fires resulting in death were caused by indoor smoking.

Twenty-four percent of Georgia adults smoke. More than 10,000 people die in Georgia every year from tobacco-related illnesses more than all the deaths from alcohol, cocaine, heroin, AIDS, murder, suicide, auto accidents and fires combined. Tobacco drains $1.8 billion in healthcare costs from the Georgia economy every year. An estimated 30,000 Georgia children begin smoking every year and another 10,000 begin to use spit tobacco.

Quitting smoking is not an easy task, but it is one that can be accomplished with dedication and support. In an effort to help Georgians kick the habit, the state has established Quit Line, 877-270-STOP, a toll-free resource that connects callers to a trained counselor who can help them set up steps to quit.

In 1998, Georgia was awarded $4.8 billion as one of 46 states in a landmark settlement against major tobacco companies, receiving the first allocation of $150 million during the 2000 legislative session. Of that, $87 million funded health-related projects and $15.8 million was earmarked to fund tobacco use prevention, including implementing community-based prevention programs in Georgiaís 19 health districts.

For additional information, please visit us at www.unitegeorgia.com.