D ANIEL P.

M C C OY
C OUNTY E XECUTIVE

November 20, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Peggy Keigley, Director Center for Smoking Cessation Seton Health SPHP 518 459-2550 (W) 518 810-8561 (C) pkeigley@setonhealth.org Mary Rozak, Albany County Communications Director 518 447-7040 Mary.rozak@albanycounty.com Joe McQueen, Schenectady County Public Communications Director 518 388-4772 Joe.mcqueen@schenectadycounty.com

Local Health Leaders Team up to End Smoking

Albany, NY November 21 marks the 38 annual Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society. The day is one of celebration for those who have quit smoking or a new beginning for those seeking to kick the habit. Here in our area, healthcare officials from Albany and Schenectady Counties are working together to help people quit smoking and build healthier communities by offering cessation support in two locations as part of the Great American Smokeout. The particular target this year is those who have reported poor mental health or who make less than $25,000 a year. One success story here in the Capital Region serves as an inspiration for those who have tried unsuccessfully to quit smoking. Tana Rozelle, of Schenectady, smoked for 38 years and decided it was time to quit. With the help and support provided by the Butt Stops Here Program, offered by the Center for Smoking Cessation at Seton Health/St. Peters Health Partners she was able to kick the habit. I joined the program and came for a year and I practiced quitting. Tana said. The facilitator helped me overcome my severe cravings by using nicotine gum and the patch. I quit and spent the next year in the program working at staying quit. There are a lot of people like me who need a lot of help quitting. If I didnt have this program I never would have been able to do it. Tana is a terrific example of a success story and serves as an inspiration for those who want to take part in the Great American Smokeout, said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. Stories like hers can inspire others to quit smoking and improve their health. Community healthcare providers from Albany County Department of Health, Hometown Health Centers, and the Center for Smoking Cessation at Seton Health/St. Peters Health Partners will partner together to provide free counseling, nicotine patches and gum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hometown Health Centers in Schenectady and at the Albany County Department of Health in Albany. Studies have shown that
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combining counseling and nicotine replacement therapies like cessation medication can help increase the odds of quitting to 20- 30 percent. Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable disease and death in New York State, said Stephen Giordano, PhD, Director of Albany County Department of Mental Health. Despite great strides in reducing smoking rates, those with the least resources continue to smoke and suffer the most from tobacco-related diseases like lung cancer and heart disease. Tobacco takes a terrible toll on New York residents. More than 25,000 people die every year from tobacco use. Efforts by the New York State Bureau of Tobacco Control have been successful in reducing the number of people who smoke to 16.2 percent of the population. Unfortunately, 30 percent of those i who earn less than $25,000 per year or who report poor mental health still smoke. This population is tough to reach and since Tobacco Control Program funding has been reduced to half of what it was a few years ago, the ability to reach populations most at risk for tobacco use has been severely limited, said Michael Burgess, New York State Advocacy Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. This effort is targeted to the people who need it the most. We are extremely lucky to have champions in our community who are ready and willing to take that extra step to help people take better care of their health, stated Joanne R. Cocozzoli, RN, MS, Public Health Director, Schenectady County. Quitting smoking is the single most important step you can take to reduce your risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society suggests that 60 percent of cancers could be avoided if people stopped ii using tobacco. Smoking is the major cause of lung cancer which is responsible for more deaths than the iii next three most common cancers combined (colon, breast, and prostate). The Albany County Department of Health is located at 175 Green Street, Albany, NY and Hometown Health Center is located at 1044 State Street, Schenectady, NY. For a free personalized quit plan, contact the New York State Smokers Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS or www.nysmokefree.com.

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2012 Independent Evaluation report of the New York Tobacco Control Program 2012-2017 New York State Cancer Control Plan, NYS DOH iii American Cancer Society, The Cancer Burden in New York State, July 2012
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