Dear Hamilton County residents,
London
Our world has become a scary place with COVID-19 ravaging our state and own beloved county. 245 Hoosiers have died to date and Hamilton County has 395 positive cases identified and 16 deaths.
Tuesday marked one week that our community has been hunkered down, bracing for the worst. Each day new cases pop up and we are all learning to navigate this new way of life.
I am proud to see all the heroes fighting the frontlines in Hamilton County and love reading what our local governments, churches and organizations are doing to combat this invisible beast.
I could have envisioned myself writing a letter to the editor to share resources to help people quit smoking and vaping during this frightening time because that’s my job. But never did I imagine that I would feel so obligated by the circumstances that I am now facing … I am fighting for my own breath.
I believed I would be protecting my family by leaving Hamilton County. I thought we’ll go away until all this blows over, but that didn’t happen.
Several members of my family have contracted COVID-19. For some it wasn’t bad. Two of my daughters explained it was like a bad hangover for two days, but for me it is much worse. I showed all the symptoms – headache, body aches, fever and the worst, shortness of breath.
We all take for granted how nice it is to take a DEEP breath, a deep inhale and slow exhale of air to make us feel alive. So many of our community members struggle with complications from smoking and vaping and we don’t think twice about them.
COPD causes people to be short of breath, lung cancer patients fight to catch their breath when they exert themselves – and I don’t mean by playing tennis. Smoking slowly steals their breath away until they are unable to take that deep cleansing breath.
So I am writing to you to beg you, if you are a smoker, PLEASE take this opportunity to quit smoking or vaping.
Here’s some information shared with local Tobacco Control partners via Mrianda Spitznagle, the Director for the Tobacco Prevention Cessation Division of the Indiana State Department of Health:
Researchers and medical professionals are saying it is reasonable to assume that smoking, and possibly vaping, could increase the risk of developing serious adverse effects from COVID-19.
In general, long-term smokers and e-cigarette users are at a heightened risk of developing chronic lung conditions. The CDC has said that those with serious underlying medical conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease and diabetes, may be at a higher risk from COVID-19.
Smoking and vaping have been shown to affect the lungs and the immune system, which strongly suggests that using these products increases the risk of infection and worse outcomes from COVID-19. Experts are warning, based on current research, that people with compromised health due to smoking or vaping and people with opioid, methamphetamine, cannabis, and other substance use disorders could find themselves at increased risk of COVID-19 and its more serious complications.
With the global outbreak of COVID-19, now is the best time to quit tobacco use in order to keep your body resilient against disease. There are free resources available that Hoosiers can use in the comfort of their own home, including the Indiana Tobacco Quitline. Those who are ready to quit can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for phone counseling, or by visiting QuitNowIndiana.com for more information.
Young people interested in quitting vaping can text ‘Indiana’ to 88709 to enroll in the This Is Quitting text messaging program.
If you smoke or vape, please use these free resources to quit today.
If you don’t, please follow the CDC’s guidelines and protect your loved ones by staying home, washing your hands, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
We can get through this. Stay safe, Hamilton County.
Stacy London
Program Coordinator
Breathe Easy Hamilton County