205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Health Educator, 509-962-7515 healthpromotion@co.kittitas.wa.us
Tobacco use continues to be the main cause of preventable death despite a reduction in the number of people who smoke. Each year 8,300 Washington State residents die from smoking. In the United States tobacco related deaths equal 480,000 annually. Severe lifestyle changes need to occur in order to decrease these numbers. The Department of Health has seen major declines in smoking since 1999. At this time, the majority of education and prevention programs began.
Did you know?
Cancer - a broad term used to describe various diseases in which abnormal cells divide out of control and are able to invade other tissues. Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. This will help the body get rid of toxins. Smoking causes cancer and then blocks your body from fighting it.
Heart Disease - is a cardiovascular (CVD) that includes several types of heart conditions. Smoking is a major cause of CVD and causes one of every three deaths. Smoking causes changes in the blood and blood vessels; damaged cells, buildup of plaque, thickening and narrowing of blood vessels.
COPD - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. COPD includes emphysema; chronic bronchitis; and in some cases, asthma. Essentially, air flow becomes restricted and over time becomes harder to breathe.
Pregnancy - smoking makes becoming pregnant increasingly more difficult. Smoking while pregnant is extremely harmful to the unborn baby and greatly increases the change for birth defects and miscarriage.
Each day, tobacco companies spend $26 million on marketing. Research shows that exposure to tobacco advertising and promotions prompts smoking initiation and makes it harder for smokers to quit. Despite public health efforts to reduce youth smoking, almost 2,000 youth try their first cigarette every day.
In 2017, KCPHD partnered with Central Washington University faculty and students on the STARS project. The Standardized Tobacco Assessment for Retail Settings (STARS) is a surveillance tool that collects information on advertising, price promotion, and product placement of tobacco products in a community. Check out the STARS website for more information.
In spring of 2018, the STARS Project assessed 22 tobacco retailers in Kittitas County. Observations revealed that 90% of surveyed retailers sold visible tobacco products, 36% advertised cigarettes on the exterior of the store, and 88% sold flavored tobacco products.
In 1964 the Surgeon General’s Report came out to state that 2.5 million adults were dying from breathing in secondhand smoke. None of these people were even smokers. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of them are toxic and around 70 are known to cause cancer. Here are some chemicals in cigarettes and what they are commonly used in.
ChemicalCommon Use FormaldehydeUsed to embalm dead bodies BenzeneUsed in gasoline Hydrogen CyanideUsed in chemical weapons CadmiumUsed in making batteries ArsenicUsed in pesticides
Not only does smoking put you at risk, but it harms those around you. When smoking, you are putting your coworkers, friends, families, and children at risk of a multitude of potentially deadly health concerns. Please take heed of these warnings and help us eliminate the effects of secondhand smoke.
Health Effects on:
Adult smoking rate: 13.5 percent (2017) Adult e-cigarette (vapor product) use rate: 4.2 percent (2017) Youth smoking rate (10th grade): 2 percent (2021) Youth e-cigarette (vapor product) use rate (10th grade): 8 percent (2021)
Beginning January 1, 2020, the legal age to purchase tobacco and vapor products is 21 years old. See Washington State Department of Health’s Tobacco 21 page for more information. Individuals under 21 are particularly vulnerable to the effects of nicotine addiction and most people who begin to smoke do so before age 21. For those who vape, there is an increased risk of initiating cigarette smoking.
Insurance plans may offer free or low cost nicotine patches or other medications to help you quit. If you don't have insurance, there are multiple free resources in the State of Washington to help you quit. These include websites, mobile apps, educational materials, and support groups. Talk with your doctor or other professional about strategies for quitting that may be right for you.
On November 8, 2005, Washington residents voted to pass Initiative 901. The initiative prohibits smoking in all public places. The definition of "public place" includes bars, restaurants, bowling centers, skating rinks, and non-tribal casinos. The definition also includes private residences used to provide childcare, foster care, adult care, or similar social services, and at least 75 percent of the sleeping quarters within a hotel.
RCW 70.160 (Initiative 90)
