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Northern Dauphin County YMCA Tackles Tobacco

Did you know that tobacco use is the #1 preventable cause of death in the United States?  Tobacco kills more than alcohol, all other drugs, fires, accidents, suicide, homicide, fires and AIDS, COMBINED. Smoking is just one way to deliver nicotine to your body. Many people believe that the use of smokeless tobacco or “spit tobacco” is a safer alternative to smoking.

The truth is “smokeless” does not mean “harmless”  In fact, one can, pouch or tin of smokeless tobacco is equal to smoking 3-5 packs of cigarettes. In reality, smokeless tobacco use is at least 3 times more dangerous than smoking. However, tobacco use in general is equally harmful to your body and health.  The Northern Dauphin County Branch YMCA’s Tobacco Control Program is tackling this issue every day, especially being located in a rural area of Dauphin County.  However, with the expansion of the program to serving all parts of Dauphin County, Cumberland County and Perry County, the program will be providing these vital educational and tobacco use cessation programs to these other areas.

The big tobacco industry is constantly making changes to smokeless tobacco products and creating new products that appeal to our youth. This is a major focus of our program in the next few months so that our youth are armed with the knowledge and are not manipulated by these new “great tasting”, “self – proclaimed” safer alternatives. In the current news, you will hear about the devastating impact that smokeless tobacco has had on the major league baseball pitcher Curt Schilling. A few months ago, the great Tony Gwynn lost his life due to smokeless tobacco use.  The Northern Dauphin County YMCA is passionate about educating our service area and youth about the dangers of smokeless tobacco use. To read more about Curt Schilling’s nicotine addiction and his battle with cancer, please click the following link: CLICK HERE

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