Tobacco Resources

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The Brown Plague
Epidemiologists 100 years from now will recall the 21st Century as the one with the Brown Plague. The invention of the cigarette rolling machine allowed for a change in how cigarettes were manufactured. They turned the habit from one of a cigarette a day to 20 to 40 a day. The nicotene was blended with chemicals such as ammonia which made it extremely addicting. The result was the early deaths of millions of Americans. Each has lost an average life expectancy of at least a decade.

This site contains information on the Marquette County Health Department's effort to reduce this epidemic as well as other sites that contain information on how this epidemic started, spread, and continues to this day.

The Truth About Smoking

Cigarettes kill more people than car crashes, fires, AIDS, murders, suicides, alcohol, heroin, cocaine, and crack COMBINED. More than 100 people die from tobacco caused diseases in Marquette County EVERY YEAR.
Every cigarette raises your blood pressure and heart rate, puts carbon monoxide (a poison) in your body, and shuts down your lung's cleaning system.
Children who grow up with two parents who smoke are twice as likely to become smokers themselves.
Secondhand smoke affects everyone around you--especially children.

The Truth About Quitting

Eight out of ten smokers want to quit smoking. Last year one out of three tried to quit.
Many smokers try to quit more than once. You haven't failed unless you stop trying.
Not everyone gains weight when they quit. Trade your cigarettes for a simple walking program to help keep your weight down.

Who We Are
For the past ten years, a coalition of 100 community representatives have worked together to raise the public's awareness of smoking as a serious health issue and to help the eight out of ten smokers who want to quit. In addition, many activities of this coalition were designed to help children understand the risks of tobacco and its marketing.

From 1987 to the present, the Marquette County Tobacco Free Community Coalition has offered smoking cessation training programs, materials, and support to smokers, health professionals, businesses, employees, students, and citizens of Marquette County.

In 1993 the National Cancer Institute provided increased funding to the Coalition through Project ASSIST (American Stop Smoking Intervention Study), the nation's largest every community cancer prevention program. The program has two purposes: to prevent tobacco use in youth and to help tobacco users who want to quit. The project is administered by the Marquette County Health Department.

In Marquette County look for additional information and activities from the Coalition as well as other agencies listed below.

Smoking Cessation Materials
There are many brochures, books, videos, and audio cassettes available through the agencies listed below or your library. Call the for more information:

Marquette County Tobacco Free Community Coalition: 906-315-2614
Health Information Center, Marquette General Health Systems: 1-800-562-9753, Ext. 4950 or 225-4950
American Cancer Society: 1-800-469-0149
American Heart Association: 906-486-1279
American Lung Association: 1-800-LUNG-USA, 906-228-9833
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community: 906-353-8666, Ext. 43
Health Promotion Clearinghouse Hotline: 1-800-537-5666, "Stop Smoking Kit"

A listing of Marquette County's programs and classes
Agency and Location:

American Cancer Society
1-800-469-0149
Program: FreshStart - Four one-hour group sessions held over two weeks. Program dependent on the availability of instructor.
Cost: Call for more information.
American Lung Association
227 W. Washington
Marquette, MI 49855
1-800-LUNG-USA
906-228-9833
(Materials from ALA are available U.P.-wide)
Program: Freedom From Smoking Clinic (FFS) - A seven session program over three weeks. Call ALAM office at 228-9833.
Cost: $50.00 / person.
Program: Quitting for Life - A self-help manual.
Cost: $2.00
Program: Freedom From Smoking - A self-help manual.
Cost: $50.00 / person.
Program: A Lifetime of Freedom From Smoking - A 28 page maintenance manual.
Cost: $7.00
Program: In Control - A home video on the Freedom From Smoking program. VHS tape, workbook, and cassette tape.
Cost: $165.00 complete or $35.00 for workbook and free loan of tapes.

Family Care Doctors/Marquette General Hospital
1414 W. Fair Avenue, Suite 36
Marquette, MI 49855
906-225-3864
Program: Medications & Instruction - Patients are provided information and counseling with the use of medications to assist with stop smoking, individualized to patient's needs.
Cost: Call for more information.
Program: Freedom From Smoking (FFS) - An eight session group program.
Cost: Call for more information.

Marquette County Health Dept.
184 US Highway 41 East
Negaunee, MI 49866
906-315-2614
Program: Quit Smart at Work - Four one-hour sessions held at your worksite. Grants may be available.
Cost: $35 / person.
Program: Individual Self-Guided Program - Two half-hour individual meetings scheduled one month apart. Optional American Lung Association educational materials listed are available on loan as part of this program: In-Control and Quit Smoking Forever audio tapes.
Cost: $35 / person.

Private Practitioners: Many area dentists, physicians, and other health care providers have been trained to counsel their smoking patients.

Benefits of Quitting

You will save money - enough for a vacation
Your clothes, hair, house, car, and breath will smell better.
You will be a better influence on your children--no guilt.
Pregnant women who quit smoking are less likely to have miscarriages, stillborn or premature babies.
You won't expose others to secondhand smoke.
Your health improves when you quit:
* fewer colds, breathe easier
* chance of heart attack decreases
* chance of cancer decreases
* fewer wrinkles
* smoker's cough disappears
* more energy
* sense of smell and taste improves
Life insurance becomes cheaper.
You will feel proud of yourself.

When you are a nonsmoker
YOU are in control,
no longer a slave to cigarettes!

Tobacco Effort at the Marquette County Health Department
    Tobacco Education Programs in Marquette County
    Marquette City Smokefree Ordinance
    Marquette County Retail License Ordinance
    Marquette County 1997 Tobacco Use Report Card

Tobacco Internet Links

Last UPdate: Monday, October 02, 2006