April 10, 2015, ST. LOUIS - Regional health systems banded together today in an effort to reduce the number of St. Louisans who can't kick the habit. With an effort called "Show Me You Can Quit," Mayor Francis Slay proclaimed April 13-17 to be Smoking Cessation Awareness Week in St. Louis.
SLUCare thoracic surgeon Melanie Edwards, MD, at Saint Louis University Hospital was in attendance and spoke with KMOX Radio this morning about the importance of smoking cessation efforts. Listen here:
"To any smoker, if they can quit smoking it will have a huge impact on their quality of life and reduce their risk of disease," says Dr. Edwards.
For information on how to quit, call the Missouri Tobacco Quit line at 800-QUIT-NOW to access free smoking cessation resources and for info online, visit our website here.
Dr. Edwards also penned an op-ed below on smoking in St. Louis:
Show Me You Can Quit, St. Louis
By Dr. Melanie A. Edwards
Sometimes quitting is a good thing—and when it comes to quitting tobacco use, St. Louisans have room for improvement.
Here in St. Louis, more than 26 percent of city residents smoke – which is higher than both the state (22 percent) and national (18 percent) smoking rates.
Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease, disability and death in our state with nearly 10,000 Missourians dying every year from tobacco-related illnesses, including lung cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Nationwide, smoking causes more than 480,000 preventable deaths every single year – that's more than HIV, drug and alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries and firearm-related incidents combined. As a local physician, these statistics keep me up at night.
Moreover, smoking is a significant drain on the local economy and government budgets – approximately $2 billion is spent every year in Missouri to treat smoking-related illnesses. That is a lot of money going up in smoke that St. Louisans could use for food, clothing, healthcare and spending time together on a family vacation.
In an effort to counteract this unhealthy and economically depressing situation, Mayor Francis Slay will issue an official proclamation declaring April 13-17 official Smoking Cessation Awareness Week for the City of St. Louis.
During "Show Me You Can Quit" week, tobacco cessation events will be happening throughout the city to empower residents to choose a tobacco-free lifestyle.
Everyone knows that quitting smoking is hard, but there are many resources available to help. Smoking Cessation Week provides a reason, an opportunity, a "hook" for smokers to talk to your doctor about help quitting, or an excuse to call the Missouri Tobacco Quitline at 800-QUIT-NOW for free smoking cessation resources.
Studies have shown that smokers are twice as likely to quit when they combine use of counseling and cessation medications. And more than 88 percent of former smokers who used medicine during their cessation process were successful.
Decades after Americans first became aware of the dangers of smoking, this message remains an urgent one, especially for our local community.
All local residents must demand public policies that encourage tobacco-free lifestyles. St. Louisans should also talk to their loved ones about quitting. If we want to improve public health and quality of life, we must finally dislodge tobacco as the longstanding and number one culprit of preventable death. Show us you can quit, St. Louis.
Melanie A. Edwards, MD is an assistant professor of surgery and thoracic surgeon at Saint Louis University.
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