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Ready to quit smoking? Free help is available before pending “Smoke-out”

By Liz Fabian

lfabian@macon.com
Cody Jones of Macon lights a cigarette at The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom last year. Jones, who has been smoking since he was 14, was not surprised that Macon-Bibb's smoking rate is higher than the national and state average.
Cody Jones of Macon lights a cigarette at The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom last year. Jones, who has been smoking since he was 14, was not surprised that Macon-Bibb's smoking rate is higher than the national and state average. Jason Vorhees jvorhees@macon.com

If you have struggled with quitting smoking, the Macon-Bibb County Health Department wants to help.

In advance of the Great American Smoke-out on Nov. 17, health educators will be visiting local businesses to distribute helpful anti-smoking resources, including “quit kits” of tips, chewing gum and hard candy, according to a news release.

A greater percentage of people in Macon-Bibb County are smokers, compared with the smoking rate in Georgia and across the nation.

Smoking is linked to lung cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths for adults ages 45 to 74 in Macon-Bibb County, the release noted.

The smoking habit also can lead to emphysema, heart disease and stroke.

It is the “single largest preventable cause of disease, disability and premature death” in the country, the release stated.

To schedule a visit from a health educator, phone Camille Watson at 478-749-0113.

This story was originally published November 1, 2016 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Ready to quit smoking? Free help is available before pending “Smoke-out”."

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