Smoking cessation resources and support available at no cost

HAMILTON, ON - As National Non-Smoking Week kicks off, the City of Hamilton is reminding residents that quit smoking resources and support are available at no cost. The City encourages residents who use tobacco to get support, make a plan, and make a quit attempt.

National Non-Smoking Week, which takes place January 19-25, is the perfect opportunity to take the first step towards becoming smoke free. Accessing quit smoking services and supports has been shown to increase the chances of a successful quit attempt. Residents have access to a range of support options, such as telephone support, and group or one-to-one counselling.

“We know that quitting smoking can be very hard and can take time. We also know that the chances of success are much better with support. That’s why we are encouraging residents who use cigarettes to get support, make a plan, and make a quit attempt.” - Dr. Bart Harvey, Associate Medical Officer of Health

All Hamilton residents who use cigarettes are eligible to access support and medications at no cost to help them quit smoking. More information is available at www.HamiltonQuitsSmoking.com.

Quick tips to support a quit attempt

• Drink cold water
• Take deep breaths – hold for two seconds, then let it out
• Delay – put off smoking for a few minutes
• Do something else – try a different activity
• Get support from a health care practitioner
• Use quit smoking medications like nicotine patches
• Make your home and car smoke-free
• Learn how to cope with stress without smoking

The City of Hamilton is committed to improving the well-being of all residents by providing free smoking cessation services. This aligns with and supports the Healthy and Safe Communities priority of the City of Hamilton’s Strategic Plan.

Quick facts

• In Hamilton, 19.2 per cent of the population (93,000 people) aged 12 years and older reported being a current smoker in 2015-2016. Of these, 13.5 per cent reported being a daily smoker and 5.6 per cent reported being an occasional smoker.
• Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in Hamilton.
• It is conservatively estimated that smoking tobacco caused 534 preventable deaths in Hamilton in 2012; that is, of the 4,300 deaths in Hamilton that year, one in eight deaths were attributed to smoking tobacco. In other words, each week, approximately 10 Hamiltonians will die as a result of smoking tobacco. Most local tobacco-attributed deaths are due to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease.
• Quitting tobacco use is the number one modifiable risk for preventing chronic disease.

Additional resources

www.HamiltonQuitsSmoking.com