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QUITKITS, available at the Summit Prevention Alliance office at Sixth and Main in Frisco, include quitting tips and phone numbers for help.
Benefits of quitting smoking over time
20 minutes: Blood pressure and pulse rate decrease
3 hours: Carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in blood return to normal
1 day: The likelihood of heart attack decreases
2 days: Nerve endings regenerate, enhancing senses of smell and taste
2 weeks: Circulation improves and lung function increases
1-9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease
1 year: Likelihood of heart attacks drops by 50 percent
5 years: Stroke risk reduced to levels of nonsmokers
10 years: Risk of dying from lung cancer drops to 50 percent of current smoker
15 years: Risk of coronary disease and death become roughly equivalent to those who have never smoked
SUMMIT COUNTY - It's easily the most common New Year's resolution: That cigarette at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31 is going to be the last.
It's also the most common, maybe the quickest, to go up in flames, relegated to the ashtray of abandoned self-improvement and put on the list for next year's possibilities.
But to help smokers who want to kick the habit, the Summit County Tobacco Coalition is providing free QUITKITS.
Laurie Blackwell, tobacco prevention coordinator for the Summit Prevention Alliance (SPA), will be distributing the kits from the SPA's office at Sixth Avenue and Main Street in Frisco, and she will be available between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 31 to talk to prospective quitters.
"We will be on hand to assist people in preparing for, committing to and succeeding with their resolution to quit smoking or using smokeless tobacco," Blackwell said.
The kits contain brochures with quitting tips, items such as a stress ball, gum, mints and phone numbers for other resources.
Recent state surveys show that of Colorado's adult population of 640,000, 20 percent smoke.
Eighty-five percent of adults surveyed reported they wanted to quit, but only 4.5 percent had been successful.
Like many other states, Colorado has established a Quitline, a telephone-based counseling service to help those attempting to kick nicotine.
Colorado also offers QuitNet, an Internet-based counseling program found online at www.co.quitnet.com (see story below).
The service's statistics indicate that 28 percent of smokers who complete the counseling program were still smoke-free six months after their first call.
"The holidays can be a stressful time, and we would like to be a part of helping those in Summit County who would like to start the new year as a nonsmoker," Blackwell said.
"The reality is that New Year's resolutions are somewhat of a boondoggle," Blackwell continued. "But it's a chance to get the message out there. I think it's definitely the most popular resolution people make, but whether they're motivated to come pick up the kits is another story."
As part of the Great American Smokeout in November, Blackwell offered the kits to Summit County residents, publicized in a Summit Daily News article. No one came to pick them up, though.
"That's OK," Blackwell said. "As long as the support is there when they're ready."
For more information, contact the Summit Prevention Alliance at (970) 668-2077.
Reid Williams can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 237, or rwilliams@summitdaily.com.
20 minutes: Blood pressure and pulse rate decrease
3 hours: Carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in blood return to normal
1 day: The likelihood of heart attack decreases
2 days: Nerve endings regenerate, enhancing senses of smell and taste
2 weeks: Circulation improves and lung function increases
1-9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease
1 year: Likelihood of heart attacks drops by 50 percent
5 years: Stroke risk reduced to levels of nonsmokers
10 years: Risk of dying from lung cancer drops to 50 percent of current smoker
15 years: Risk of coronary disease and death become roughly equivalent to those who have never smoked
SUMMIT COUNTY - It's easily the most common New Year's resolution: That cigarette at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 31 is going to be the last.
It's also the most common, maybe the quickest, to go up in flames, relegated to the ashtray of abandoned self-improvement and put on the list for next year's possibilities.
But to help smokers who want to kick the habit, the Summit County Tobacco Coalition is providing free QUITKITS.
Laurie Blackwell, tobacco prevention coordinator for the Summit Prevention Alliance (SPA), will be distributing the kits from the SPA's office at Sixth Avenue and Main Street in Frisco, and she will be available between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 31 to talk to prospective quitters.
"We will be on hand to assist people in preparing for, committing to and succeeding with their resolution to quit smoking or using smokeless tobacco," Blackwell said.
The kits contain brochures with quitting tips, items such as a stress ball, gum, mints and phone numbers for other resources.
Recent state surveys show that of Colorado's adult population of 640,000, 20 percent smoke.
Eighty-five percent of adults surveyed reported they wanted to quit, but only 4.5 percent had been successful.
Like many other states, Colorado has established a Quitline, a telephone-based counseling service to help those attempting to kick nicotine.
Colorado also offers QuitNet, an Internet-based counseling program found online at www.co.quitnet.com (see story below).
The service's statistics indicate that 28 percent of smokers who complete the counseling program were still smoke-free six months after their first call.
"The holidays can be a stressful time, and we would like to be a part of helping those in Summit County who would like to start the new year as a nonsmoker," Blackwell said.
"The reality is that New Year's resolutions are somewhat of a boondoggle," Blackwell continued. "But it's a chance to get the message out there. I think it's definitely the most popular resolution people make, but whether they're motivated to come pick up the kits is another story."
As part of the Great American Smokeout in November, Blackwell offered the kits to Summit County residents, publicized in a Summit Daily News article. No one came to pick them up, though.
"That's OK," Blackwell said. "As long as the support is there when they're ready."
For more information, contact the Summit Prevention Alliance at (970) 668-2077.
Reid Williams can be reached at (970) 668-3998, ext. 237, or rwilliams@summitdaily.com.
