In today’s society, there are myriads of social issues that affect our community. Tobacco is only one of these problems. Initially it may seem to be a rather small problem compared to many other societal ills.

Tobacco use is the single most preventable health problem facing us today, not only in Indiana, but also nationally, and internationally.

Tobacco kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined!

438,000 tobacco-related deaths annually in the U.S.

• 10,300 are Hoosiers

  • 274 are citizens of Porter County, Indiana

    • approximately 60 are from Portage and 49 from Valparaiso

Indiana has the 2nd highest smoking rate in the U.S.

Approximately 37% of Indiana high school student and 15% of middle school students use tobacco

If current trends continue, 167,000 Indiana youth under the age of 18 will die from tobacco use.

Estimated that 22.7 million packs of cigarettes are sold each year to underage smokers in Indiana, adding to the increasing number of youth smokers.

Tobacco use promotes and/or exacerbates asthma, HIV, and diabetes.

 Effects of short term use of tobacco’s include shortness of breath, cancer of the mouth, yellow fingers and nails, wrinkles, reduced circulation, and an increase in illnesses.

Tobacco use causes

• 8 different types of cancer
• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Emphysema
• Bronchitis
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)