http://www.breathend.com Upper Missouri District Health Unit en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/syndicate/rssnews.png http://www.breathend.com/news/ http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=229
With the addition of Cavalier, North Dakota will have eight communities with comprehensive ordinances that all together protect 37 percent of North Dakota's population from the harms of secondhand smoke. The other cities that have gone smoke free are Bismarck, Fargo, Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Napoleon, Pembina and West Fargo.

North Dakota's Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Policy (the Center) Director Jeanne Prom said, "We've made great progress, but we have a lot more work to do to before all North Dakotans are protected from the dangers of tobacco."

The Center works with public health units across the state to promote tobacco use prevention and comprehensive smoke-free and tobacco-free policies. Prom said that by preventing young people from starting smoking, encouraging smokers to quit, and preventing exposure to secondhand smoke, North Dakota saves lives and money.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease in both our nation and North Dakota. Last year, tobacco use killed 800 North Dakotans prematurely and cost the state over $247 million in healthcare.]]> Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=228
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and people who smoke cigarettes are twice as likely to have a stroke. In addition to smokers being at risk, those breathing secondhand smoke are also at an increased stroke risk by at least 30 percent, as reported in a recent issue of Preventing Chronic Disease, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to CDC, smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke thickens the blood making it more likely to clot. When blood thickens, blood flow can lead to increased plaque buildup in arteries and damage blood vessels leading to the brain, which can cause or worsen a stroke.

"Although everyone knows the links between tobacco use and cancer or heart disease, people often forget about the alarming increase cigarette smoke causes in the risk of stroke," said Jeanne Prom, executive director of the Center.

Sandy Buttweiler, a long-time Fargo radio personality from KFGO's "Jack and Sandy," knows about that connection all too well.

On May 12, 2011, Buttweiler, who then smoked a pack or more each day, was getting ready for work when her entire right side became paralyzed and she lost her ability to speak. The episode passed, but she had another attack after driving herself to the emergency room. A series of tests revealed that she had two transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Buttweiler's doctors told her that smoking cigarettes was a major contributing factor to her TIAs.

"Sandy was very lucky, but there are a lot of people who are still at risk from smoking and secondhand smoke," Prom said. "We want to reduce the risk of stroke and other chronic diseases for all North Dakotans, and because North Dakota's tobacco prevention program is funded at the CDC level, we can make this happen."

North Dakota's comprehensive tobacco prevention plan: "Saving lives, Saving money" uses strategies proven to prevent tobacco use that include media campaigns, 100 percent smoke-free laws, tobacco pricing interventions, tobacco-free school policies and sustained community and statewide efforts.

Currently, 37 percent of North Dakotans are protected by comprehensive smoke-free laws.

"We've made great progress already," Prom said, "but we have a lot more work to do to before all North Dakotans are protected from the dangers of tobacco."

Listen to Sandy's radio ad about her experiences and the connection between smoking and stroke.

Learn more about the risks of stroke, tobacco use and secondhand smoke here:

1) Preventing Chronic Disease Public Health Research, Practice and Policy

2) Meta-analysis of the association between secondhand smoke exposure and stroke
]]> Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=227
"I think people shouldn't smoke. It hurts other people's lungs when they breathe it in. It would keep some of our air clean if they stopped. People wouldn't get that sick from it if they stopped smoking now. Our town would be a better place!" Daniel Schumacher

"I want people to stop smoking. It is not good for the community. Smoke stays in the air. It can give you cancer. It's also bad for the lungs. You can live a better life without a cigarette." Ashlyn King

"I don't think people should smoke in any public place. It's bad enough for the person who smokes but it's worse for the people who have to walk right in it. Secondhand smoking is just as bad. It's not good to smoke. That is my opinion. Kylee Gartner

Linton will vote on June 12 to advise the City Council on whether to pass a smoke-free ordinance.

Check out the rest of the letters here.
]]> Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=226 KMOT-TV has the story. With the re-opening of The Lamplighter, half of the bars in Minot are now smoke-free.]]> Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=225
That's my bold prediction for 2012.

Or is it really all that bold? It may be a safe bet considering that Cavalier is the latest town headed in that direction. Cavalier is a conservative town in a conservative county in a conservative state. Its residents have the reputation and voting history of not liking to be told what to do by government.

However, the Cavalier City Council recently voted unanimously to institute a smoking ban. It has to be passed a second time to become official, but there's no sign of a reversal.

"We're excited," said Jeanne Chaput, Pembina County public health administrator. "It's been going pretty good up here."

That's because her county soon will have two smoke-free towns. A year ago, Pembina (the town) became the seventh smoke-free community in the state. With a population of 592, Pembina is the smallest town with a smoking ban. At 792, Napoleon, is the second-smallest. And Cavalier, at 1,302, seems headed to be the third-smallest.

The others, predictably, are the larger cities of Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, West Fargo and Devils Lake.

Other towns are smoke-free, but through the wishes of the bar/restaurant owners, not by a public decree. It's become fairly common for restaurants to ban smoking. And more bars are voluntarily going that route, one of the more notable lately being the Extra End in Grafton.

Chaput credits council member Pat Mahar, "who stepped forward as a champion and asked the rest of the council to consider it." She said council members polled establishment owners and didn't face major opposition to the idea.

"I think people realize the health benefits of smoke-free," Chaput said of the attitude shift. "Everyone deserves to breathe clean air."

Because non-smokers are so rarely exposed to smoke these days, contact with it is more onerous. Twenty-five states have smoking bans, including North Dakota neighbors Minnesota, South Dakota and Montana.
But, in 2011 as usual, a majority of North Dakota legislators answered a health department survey by saying the decision should be left to the locals. That's because they're cowards, unlike Chaput and Mahar.

Maybe they'll become braver upon hearing what happened after the council's first vote, according to Chaput:

"No one's storming City Hall with torches," she said.

From the Grand Forks Herald
]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=224
KFYR TV has more on the story. ]]> Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=223
She had tried to quit many times before – six, with a variety of programs. Like many of the 18.6% of ND adults that smoke, Betsy was referred to Quitline, a service of the ND Department of Health.

Up the 36% of users are still smoke-free one year after Quitline enrollment. To achieve that success rate, Quitline combines free service, confidential visits with a cessation counselor in the privacy of your own home, nicotine replacement products if needed, "Quit Tips" audio library, and voice messaging for off-hours. It is effectively set up for smokers, spit tobacco users, and their families, and even utilizes particular materials and counseling for young smokers – 12-17 years old.

Results:

Betsy saw many benefits when she stopped smoking. She was able to breathe better using less effort, she slept more soundly and gained more energy. Through Quitline, Betsy has been a nonsmoker for 16 months and going strong.

Quitline helps people live life without tobacco, saving lives and protecting others from the dangers of second hand smoke. Quitline promotes healthy living in ND, one life at a time.

As Betsy says, "I'm glad I did it for my little granddaughter Sadie. She doesn't have to smell second hand smoke and get sick – I just want her to be healthy."
]]> Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=222
The Eagles manager Rich Hass said club members voted 31-11 to go smoke free.

"It's been brought up many times, but it got brought up on the Aerie floor at the meeting and it was tabled," Hass said. "March 1 is when it was brought up and March 15 is when we voted on it... Once it's on the floor it has to be dealt with."

Hass said the April 2 date was chosen to coincide with the day the Labor Club goes smoke free. The Eagles has gaming tables at the club and Hass said he did not want to infringe on any of Labor Club owner Kerry Anderson's business.

Although Hass is a smoker himself, he called it a "dirty, disgusting habit" and said the move will be good for the Eagles by eliminating the smell and the need for cleaning. Like the Labor club, the Eagles is also planning to build an outdoor smoking area, possibly on the north end of the building, by the time winter begins to creep back into the city.

"The Eagles Club is definitely aware of the patrons who smoke and we'll definitely consider putting something in for them," Hass said. "We're going to work on it; it's definitely being talked about."

The Valley City Eagles Club dates back to 1935, with the current building being built in 1966. The Eagles has about 40 employees with 6 of them being full-time, and sees about 50 customers a day during the week and 100 to 150 a day on the weekends.

The two clubs join The Captain's Pub, City Lights Supper Club and Lounge, Trestles, Sabir's Dining and Lounge and Tavern 94 as the seven smoke-free bars in the City.

You can read the entire article at the Valley City Record.]]> Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=221
­ On April 11, 2011, the Grand Forks Public School District adopted amendments to its current tobacco-free policy, making it the first school district in Grand Forks County to achieve "comprehensive" status. Continuing education to various school-related groups over the course of the past few years was instrumental in building support for strengthening the tobacco use policy within the school district.

­ The North Dakota State School of Science implemented a tobacco-free policy over the course of two school years. The policy now protects approximately 3,000 students, 750 faculty and staff, and all visitors from exposure to tobacco.

­ In August 2010, the Carrington School District revised its tobacco-free school environment policy to meet all of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and North Dakota Department of Health criteria for a comprehensive tobacco-free school policy

­ On April 13, 2011, the Lakota School Board approved a comprehensive tobacco-free policy.

­ The Lisbon Public School District, including Fort Ransom Elementary School, achieved comprehensive status for its tobacco-free policy on May 11, 2011.

­ Part of last year's Kick Butts Day at TGU-Towner School included a poster made by students to thank their school board for implementing a comprehensive tobacco-free policy.

­ As of January 18, 2011 all schools in Walsh County had adopted comprehensive tobacco-free school policies.

­ The Wells County District Health tobacco prevention success story started in 2009 when all three schools in Wells County implemented comprehensive tobacco-free policies. The Loerch Community Ball Park Complex and skating rink in Harvey also adopted smoke-free grounds policies.

­ KFYR-TV featured this story on Kick Butts Day activities and a PSA produced by Wachter school students.

These are just a few of the successful programs and policies that are educating our youth on the dangers of tobacco and helping to keep our schools and our kids tobacco-free. Thanks to programs like Kick Butts Day and the efforts of students, teachers, parents and local health units, more of today's young people will have a healthier, tobacco-free future.
]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.breathend.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=220 features Brandon, a 31-year-old former smoker from Fargo, North Dakota. The campaign, Tips from a Former Smoker," shows the devastating effects of tobacco use through former smokers telling their stories. Brandon started smoking as a teenager. At 18, he was diagnosed with a tobacco-related disease that affects circulation. After having both of his legs amputated, he finally quit smoking for good.

Media campaigns have been shown to be highly effective in preventing young people from starting to smoke and encouraging smokers to quit. The tobacco industry spends $10.5 billion a year – more than one million dollars every hour – to entice kids, keep smokers hooked and glamorize their deadly and addictive products. The CDC's campaign will tell the harsh truth about how devastating and unglamorous cigarette smoking truly is.

The recently released Surgeon General's report concluded, "Evidence indicates that mass media campaigns can be one of the most effective strategies in changing social norms and preventing youth smoking." The report also found "strong evidence that media ads designed for adults also decrease the prevalence of smoking among youth."

There is also growing evidence that tobacco prevention and cessation programs – including media campaigns – save money by reducing tobacco-related health care costs. A December 2011 study found that in the first 10 years of its tobacco prevention program, which included mass media, Washington State saved more than $5 in tobacco-related hospitalization costs for every $1 spent.

Find out more about Brandon and see the other ads in this powerful campaign that shows the harsh realities of the terrible toll of tobacco. The stories of these former smokers can help more people become ex-smokers and help keep the next generation smoke-free. ]]> Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT