The World Health Organization and Connections IN Health are focusing on tobacco use prevention among youth and raising awareness on the importance of how and why the industry seeks to attract young people.

We need to be as healthy as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, in addition to eating healthier, consider quitting or cutting back on all forms of tobacco, including e-cigarettes or vaping. Read some of the health benefits below when one quits tobacco.

Once a person stops using tobacco, within:
20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
2-12 weeks, your circulation improves, and your lung function increases.
1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
1 year, your risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker’s.
5 years, your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
10 years, your risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decreases.
15 years, the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.

For more information on the health benefits of quitting smoking visit the Smokefree website.

Please share this information with young people, so they do not have to worry about the benefits of quitting.

If you know a young person who is vaping, connect them to resources to help them quit. The following programs are specifically tailored to teens and young adults:

Live Vape Free Call 833-LTS-TALK from 12 p.m.–12 a.m. CT, Monday through Friday, to speak with an expert.

Text INDIANA to 88709. Parents can also text QUIT to (202) 899-7550 to sign up for texts designed specifically for parents of vapers.

Kicking the habit is not easy—but success rates increase with every attempt to quit.