May 31st of each year is No Tobacco Day, and the risks of tobacco are highlighted. According to World Health Organization, "Tobacco use is the second cause of death globally (after hypertension) and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide."

Smoking not only affects the people who smoke but also the people they smoke around. According to The Health Effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke, "Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent." So smokers not only harm themselves but the people around them, including the ones they love, including their children if they smoke around them.

Some of the diseases caused by smoking and second-hand smoke are as follows:

• Heart attacks
• Stroke
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Cancer
• Hypertension

For your own health, it is important to quit smoking and New Orleans has several different programs that can help you to quit smoking.

The Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans has 8-10 week courses on smoking cessation for those who are wanting to quit smoking. To schedule to attend one of these courses, call Tammy at 504-733-5539.

Louisiana State University has the Tobacco Control Initiative.The program includes the following: self-help material, behaviorial counseling, quit-line support, pharmacotherapy, and social support. To find out more about this program, contact Susan Parker at 504-941-8382.

However, if you do not want to quit smoking please try not to smoke around others or your loved ones, especially children. Try to smoke outside or in open areas where the second-hand smoke is not as harmful. However, if you were to quit smoking, you would feel a difference almost immediately with having more energy and being able to breathe easier. You might not think that smoking is affecting you right now; however, once you quit you will be able to the difference in how you feel. Plus, with the price of tobacco, you will be able to save a ton of money! Additionally, here is a fact sheet from the CDC about all the health risks of smoking.