Cease smoking on ‘Kick Butts Day’

LA PORTE – With the added 62 cent cigarette tax pending next week, Wednesday’s Kick Butts Day national commemoration is a great incentive date to begin kicking the nicotine habit, according to Sandy Gleim, Healthy Communities of La Porte County executive director.

La Porte County residents already have shown increased intention toward quitting as evidenced by a dramatic jump in the recent number of calls to the free state Quitline. Gleim said calls from throughout Indiana have more than doubled to 952 from the previous week. La Porte County ranked fifth in overall calls, doubling its numbers to a record high of 32.

For those who’ve made the decision to quit smoking, the 1-800-QUIT-NOW line offers a financial boost with two free weeks of nicotine patches or gum to help in the process. Trained counselors are available to assist in the quit process, as well as an interactive Web coaching feature accessible at www.indianatobaccoquitline.net.

As a further resource for tobacco users who want to quit, the hospital systems offer free cessation classes underwritten by Master Settlement funds provided through Healthy Communities of La Porte County. To register for the next session, call La Porte Hospital Wellness Center at the Crossing at (219) 326-2480 or St. Anthony Memorial at 877-1557.

In addition during Kick Butts Day, which is an initiative of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, local youth will reach out to their peers and adults to give up tobacco products during activities in Michigan City middle and high schools. The Voice youth advocacy group, overseen by the Safe Harbor program, is setting up memorial/graffiti walls at the schools to allow students to write about loved ones who have passed away from tobacco-related illness. They also may share statements or comments about choosing to be tobacco-free.

Students who would like to join the Voice group as it works on additional tobacco-free activities are encouraged to call Safe Harbor at 873-2026, Ext. 8740. Upcoming events include gathering petitions at the May 7 high school health fair for the “Don’t Glam Tobacco” campaign, urging Hollywood to limit smoking in movies aimed at youth. Voice youth also will assist members of the Tobacco Prevention Council of Healthy Communities of La Porte County at its July 23 Smoke-Free Fair Day advocacy event.

At Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City, Kick Butts Day falls in the middle of National Boys & Girls Club Week. This week, the club has Family Art Night, a chance for families to get together over pizza at the Boys & Girls Club led by Edwin Shelton from the Lubeznik Center for the Arts. He has arranged an opportunity to personify the negative impact smoking has on individuals with the use of poster board, construction paper, makers and pencils. Club members and their families will create a “monster” cigarette sculpture with a scary face and problems associated with smoking written on its body.

Members also will repeat a collaboration with Al’s, which again has contributed grocery bags. Club members will decorate them with popular anti-tobacco slogans and artwork, then return the colorful bags to Al’s for grocery packing and to remind customers of the deadly cost of cigarettes.

Source: http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=21934&TM=39873.68

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