Great American Smoke-Out

Around Dearborn County you can find "Quit Cups" to help yourself or someone you know to start their Journey! You can find them at:

Dearborn County Courthouse, Dearborn County Health Department, Lawrenceburg Community Center and Cardiopulmonary Care at Highpoint Health!

Nicotine- What is it really?

Nicotine is an addictive drug found in tobacco leaves that is extracted and added to products like: cigarettes, chew, cigars and vapes. Some vape devices use what is called a “pod” to house and deliver the aerosol containing flavorings and nicotine, like in the product JUUL, these can have nicotine amounts in equivalent to an entire pack of cigarettes.

Once inhaled, nicotine quickly enters the bloodstream, and causes the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to rise. Nicotine harms your blood vessels and can lead to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Young people will begin to experience a decrease in lung capacity and physical endurance.

 Nicotine is a neurotoxin- it poisons the developing brain. This is why it is so dangerous to children and young adults. It takes just seven seconds for nicotine to reach your brain and cause a chemical reaction in your brain and the rest of your body. This reaction sometimes causes a very short-lived feeling of relaxation. As short lived as they are- your brain connects a behavior to those feelings- this connection increases the odds that you will repeat the behavior thus leading to nicotine addiction.  

The human brain does not fully develop until the age of 25. Until then it is more sensitive to the effects of Nicotine. Use of Nicotine prior to this age damages the circuits that control attention and learning. This damage may lead to mood disorders and problems with impulse control. Even limited use of Nicotine can lead to damage to the young brain and increased risk of addiction not just to nicotine but other drugs as well.

There is no way to know just how fast nicotine addiction will happen since every person is totally different. Some of the symptoms of addiction may occur within the first few uses of vaping! Signs of nicotine addiction include but are not limited to:

·        Strong cravings to vape

·        Having a hard time concentrating at school or work because you want to vape

·        Feeling irritable, nervous or restless when you can’t vape

·        Not being able to stop- or cut back on vaping- even if you want to.

Quitting may seem like something you can’t do BUT YOU CAN DO IT! Pick a quit date, ask your friends and family to support you and sign up for cessation. Here are a few places where you can get help.

Web go to Quitnowindiana.com

Text “QUIT” to 706-222-quit        Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW

New Product  Alert!

Here is some information about a new tobacco product hitting the US Market and and accessory item that has been out for long enough- they had to change how they worded their website!

IQOS

The new “heat-not-burn” IQOS devices have officially arrived in the U.S. with their first store opening last month in Atlanta, GA.     

                       

In anticipation of this, the Truth Initiative had released an article earlier this spring, 6 Important Things to Know about IQOS, The New Heated Cigarette Product.

Some quick points about this new tobacco product are:

1.     The technology is different than e-cigarettes because they use actual tobacco instead of e-liquids.

2.     The FDA has not approved the devices; they are allowing the sale of the product and that it be marketed as a new tobacco product (a Pre-Market approval).

3.     The IQOS has not been proven to be safer than cigarettes. Research is mixed and even Philip Morris’ own research “underscores the fact that fewer toxic chemicals does not mean lower levels of harm when people use the product…”

4.     Marketing of the IQOS “depicts the product as ‘sophisticated, high-tech and aspirational’ and ‘sleek, exclusive items akin to iPhones,’ making them potentially attractive to youth.

5.     The tobacco cartridges, or HeatSticks, will be available in menthol with plans for them to be marketed under the Marlboro name.

6.     The tobacco industry is using new products to deal with increasing regulations. “Tobacco companies are attempting to undermine government regulation by using harm reduction claims as a strategy for reframing the industry as part of the solution instead of part of the problem.”

Trinkets & Trash shared in their October Surveillance Update some examples of the promotional emails IQOS sent, and it’s easy to see the misleading messaging they portray:

The caption on the left reads: It’s called IQOS HeatControl Technology. And it’s what makes it possible for IQOS to deliver optimal tobacco flavor.

The caption on the right reads: It’s true. You can enjoy the taste of real tobacco as always, but now without the ash and with less lingering odor.

                                                             Puff Gloves

Originally this product website had the headline “The first and only Gloves with a secure slot for your Jewel” It has since been changed to “The fist and only gloves with a convenient slot for your USB 😊”  

Our touchscreen-compatible fleece gloves are a favorite not just because they’re made to keep your USB in a secure position, but because you don’t have to take them off to use your phone. Four-way stretch means these soft gloves work with your hands as they get warmer on the trail, and a gripper palm ensures the days of dropping your phone in the mud are over.