Fresh views : ATRA's workplace newsletter

4 Pages·2000·1.6 MB·English

by  Alberta Tobacco Reduction Alliance

Vol. 2 • No. 3 AADAC'i Workplace Newsletter Summer • 2002
No One Should Have to Smoke Secondhand
Inside Views
More than 3,800 non-smoking Canadians die from illnesses caused by
breathing environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) every year. It is not
surprising that this dangerous smoke is a p roblem for Canadians,
Inside this issue of Fresh
Views you will find... especially at home and at work.
ETS is made up of the smoke that comes
No one Should Have to from the end of a cigarette, pipe or
Smoke Secondhand
cigar — s idestream smoke, and the
smoke that is exhaled from the
Farewell ATRA,
smoker — m ainstream
...and Thank You
smoke. ETS contains 50
cancer-causing
The More You Know About
chemicals. While
Secondhand Smoke
...The Less Chance carcinogens are found in
Your Family Has of similar levels
Becoming a T arget
in the smoke of cigarettes,
pipes and cigars, cigars
Canadian Cancer Society
burn more tobacco and therefore generate more
Resource Helps Smokers Quit
environmental tobacco smoke.
Farewell ATRA,
Tips to Prevent Cancer In 1993, the US Environmental
...and Thank You
From ETS
Protection Agency stated
that ETS is a
Farewell ATRA — A lberta
Reproducible 1 significant cause of
Tobacco Reduction
Fact Sheet
lung cancer in Alliance was dissolved
Hot Topics in Physical nonsmokers and
Activity: Children and June 30, 2002. ATRA, an
classified it a s a
Active Living alliance of over 100
known human carcinogen.
member organizations,
The study concluded that 50
worked to create an
AADAC of the 4,000 chemicals in ETS
Alberta free from the
are known to cause cancer. Some
harmful effects of
of the carcinogens in ETS have no
tobacco. Fresh Views is
known safe level of exposure. Health Canada estimates that
more than 300 deaths from lung cancer in Canadian one of ATRA's initiatives.
Continued on page 4 Continued on page 2
The More You Know About Secondhand Smoke
MDAC
...The Less Chance Your Family Has of Becoming a T arget
Your family is the most
Farewell ATRA
precious thing in the world.
Continued from front page...
That’s why it’s imperative to
ATRA was set up four
know as much as you can
about the dangers of
years ago with the
secondhand smoke. mandate to initiate
implementation of the
Protect your children.
Alberta Tobacco
Know the facts.
Reduction Plan. ATRA
WHAT IS SECOND- has completed a solid
HAND SMOKE? foundation for the next
stage of tobacco
The smoke that is exhaled by
reduction in Alberta:
a s moker. The smoke released
from the end of a b urning
government
implementation of a
cigarette, pipe or cigar.
comprehensive tobacco
WHAT MAKES IT reduction strategy.
SO DANCE ROUS? AADAC is looking forward
WHAT CAN I D O?
to meeting the bold
» It’s filled with more than 4,000 chemicals, including
carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, chromium, direction ATRA has set
for it.
nickel, vinyl chloride and arsenic.
If y ou can’t or don’t want to
» It contains hydrogen cyanide (a gas that can damage lungs) Quit.
quit, smoke outside, away
in p roportions that are 1 60 times higher than what is
from open windows and
considered dangerous. For more
air intakes. Don’t smoke
» It contains the same number of toxic chemicals as the
in y our car when you information about
smoke inhaled by the smoker.
have passengers.
the Alberta
» Opening a w indow, smoking in another room, or having air
Be especially careful around
purifiers or ventilation systems can’t protect you from Tobacco Reduction
children, pregnant women,
secondhand smoke.
and those who have heart
Strategy visit our
» Once the cigarette is out, secondhand smoke remains in the
disease and breathing
environment (clothes, carpets, drapes, air) and is still toxic. Web site at
problems. For your sake,
and the sake of others, try to
WHY IS IT BAD FOR MY FAMILY? <www.aadac.com>
make your home completely
and follow the
Exposure to secondhand smoke means children are more likely
smoke-free.
to develop ear infections and chronic respiratory illnesses. It
tobacco links.
has been linked to middle ear infections, croup, asthma,
bronchitis, sore throats, reduced lung function, pneumonia, Source: <http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
leukemia and other cancers in children. hecs-sesc/tobacco/facts/blueribbon/
Children who have parents that smoke are almost twice as family.html>
likely to start smoking as children with nonsmoking parents.
2
Canadian Cancer Society Resource Helps Smokers Quit
...One Step at a T ime
One Step at a T ime is a series of self-help resources to help people successfully quit
smoking. This series for smokers and the people who care about them was designed
with input from smokers and is based on the Stages of Change.
There are three resources in the One Step at a T ime series. Each resource is targeted
and designed for people to go directly to the stage that suits them, and to progress
towards successfully quitting smoking for good.
ONE STEP AT A T IME: ONE STEP AT A T IME:
FOR SMOKERS WHO WANT TO QUIT IF YOU WANT TO HELP A S MOKER QUIT
This resource is designed to increase motivation Deciding to quit smoking is a d ecision that
and confidence about quitting. Smokers will must be made by the smoker, for their own
identify concerns about quitting and learn ways reasons, in their own time — n ot because they
to overcome those concerns. Smokers are guided are being pressured from the outside. A f riend
in developing individual action plans for the days before and or loved one can not do it for them, but there are ways that one
after quit day. A p lan will help to maximize their chance of can help to make the quitting process a l ittle easier. This
success, including preparing to quit and setting a d ate. unique resource contains advice for loved ones and friends on
how to help a smoker quit.
Smokers are encouraged to use the skills and information
learned to overcome any withdrawal symptoms. The
It’s important that smokers be directed to the correct One Step
information will also help smokers handle stress, their desires at a T ime resource: research into the Stages of Change model
! and urges to smoke, and address their concerns about gaining indicates that providing too much information or the wrong
weight. Information about the nicotine patch and other
information at the wrong time to a smoker could make then-
medication to help control withdrawal is included. process of change even more difficult.
And for smokers who relapse, this resource will provide help
According to Dr. Paul McDonald, one of Canada’s leading
in g etting back on track towards successful cessation. cessation experts, and one of the originators of One Step at a
Time'. “First, if t he smoker isn’t motivated enough to invest the
ONE STEP AT A T IME: time to order a b ooklet, they almost certainly aren’t motivated
FOR SMOKERS WHO PONT WANT TO QUIT enough to invest any time to read a b ooklet. Hence, there is a v ery
low probability that anything constructive will come of it.
This resource is designed to offer smokers
Second, and perhaps more importantly, the act of giving a s moker
information with no strings attached. No lectures.
a b ook on smoking may be perceived in a v ery negative fashion.”
No pressure. No judgment. This guide does not tell
Individual copies of each of the resources in the One Step at a
a s moker to quit. It only asks that they think about
Time series are available free of charge by calling the Canadian
why they smoke and offers some things to consider. It
Cancer Society Cancer Information Service toll-free at
provides some practical tips that may relieve some of the stress
1-888-939-3333 or by visiting the Canadian Cancer Society
connected to smoking. It helps smokers understand their
Web site <http://www.cancer.ca/english/RD_Tobacco.asp>.
smoking habit and how their smoking affects the people
around them. It also provides some facts about quitting. To purchase a b ulk order of any of the resources, please call the
Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta/NWT Division Office at
403-228-4487. We can help you quit smoking, One Step at Time.
3
Tips to Prevent Cancer from ETS
Healthy eating and regular physical activity can significantly decrease
Permission is NOT
the risk of developing chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke,
and diabetes. In addition, by encouraging Albertans to adopt a t obacco- required to use any
free lifestyle, there is p otential for preventing the almost 30 per cent of
of the information in
cancer deaths that result from smoking
behaviours. Here are Fresh Views; however,
some recommendations:
we ask that you give
»
Aim for five to 1 0 s ervings of vegetables and
credit to AADAC.
fruit daily as part of a b alanced diet.
»
Choose vegetables and fruit with a variety of
colours and tastes for
Library and Archives Canada
maximum benefit. Bibliotheque et Archives Canada
Secondhand Smoke
» Continued from front page...
Fresh, canned, frozen,
3 3 286 53388797 8
and dried vegetables nonsmokers are caused by is also steadily growing that to it i s g enerally of longer
and fruit are all good ETS annually. exposure to ETS increases the duration than to that of
for you. risk of heart disease. inhaled smoke. While
Respiratory
»
Follow the guidelines Health Affected Higher ETS Rates exposure to inhaled smoke is
limited to the time it t akes to
found in Canada’s in Colder Climates
Food Guide. Besides being a c ause of smoke a c igarette, ETS is
» various cancers, ETS is known In colder climates, such as present and breathed in
over several hours in a
Canada’s Physical to affect the respiratory health Canada’s, indoor ventilation
Activity Guide of children. Exposure to ETS rates are usually lower, polluted environment.
recommends 60 minutes during childhood, especially resulting in higher rates of The tobacco industry might
of light to moderate from parents who smoke, is ETS indoors. Urban
tell you otherwise. It has
linked to infections in the Canadians spend about 90 per
exercise (active argued for years that
lower respiratory tract. A cent of their time indoors,
housework or a w alk) smoking is a p ersonal
recent study from researchers mostly at home or at work. choice made by smokers.
every day or 30 minutes
at the Cincinnati Children’s National surveys report that However, research has
of moderate activity
Hospital showed that just a about 67 per cent of Canadians clearly shown that smoking
four days a w eek (in little secondhand smoke can work in an environment where
also poses a r eal health threat
sessions of at least cause measurable damage to a smoking is allowed. to nonsmokers.
10 minutes). child’s learning ability, California rates are
» affecting reading, math
If a r estaurant you significantly lower than
and reasoning.
frequent is not smoke- Canada’s. Only 16 per cent of
ETS also has small but indoor workers are exposed to
free, speak to the owner
significant effects on the secondhand smoke. The
and encourage him or
respiratory health of adult reduction is largely due to
her to make it a s moke-
nonsmokers, including reduced increased public awareness of
free environment.
lung functioning, increased the dangers of tobacco use.
coughing, phlegm production,
ETS is the greatest source of
and chest discomfort. Evidence
Designed by Arnold Communications indoor pollution, and exposure
<[email protected]>
AADAC
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