Forty years after the U.S. Surgeon General first declared cigarettes hazardous to human health, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in this country. Even with a significant decline in smoking rates, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of nearly 450,000 Americans every year. More people die from smoking than from murders, suicides, fires, auto accidents and AIDS combined. A group of concerned community members formed the Copper Country Tobacco-Free Coalition six years ago to address this serious health threat.

"Our coalition has three main goals," said Gail Ploe, Coalition Chair and Prevention Specialist at the Western U.P. District Health Department. "We want to prevent young people from starting to smoke, want to help smokers quit and we want to increase the number of smoke-free environments in our area."

Historically, funding from the Keweenaw Community Foundation (KCF) has helped the coalition meet these objectives. During the last school year local fifth grade students participated in Tar Wars, a tobacco prevention program offered by Dial HELP. "It’s ideal to reach students before they’ve been offered their first cigarette, but it’s never too late," Ploe said. Administrators at Calumet High School changed their school policy regarding tobacco violations and now require students to complete a three-session education program in lieu of suspension. Many participants voluntarily enroll in an in-school cessation program upon completion.

This summer, Keweenaw Community Foundation funding enabled the coalition to coordinate a media campaign which included billboard, newspaper and radio spots--designed to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke. Kiva Auten, 16 of Houghton, volunteered to appear on the billboard above, which was displayed in Chassell and Lake Linden. She said "I thought it was important to help get the message out. People don’t realize what secondhand smoke does to the people who inhale it."

The recently released Surgeon General’s Report entitled The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke leaves no doubt that secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard. According to the report, there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, even brief exposure adversely affects the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Secondhand smoke exposure causes heart disease and lung cancer in adults and sudden infant death syndrome and respiratory problems in children. American Cancer Society statistics tell us that annually 2,500 people in Michigan die because of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Dr. Gail Shebuski, Western U.P. District Health Department Medical Director, said, "The Surgeon General's report confirms that secondhand smoke exposure is a serious health issue, and calls for 100% smoke-free indoor environments. In line with this report, we support the right of our residents to breathe smoke-free air, and we will continue to work with businesses, community organizations, and local governments to achieve the goal of smoke-free workplaces and public places for everyone."

Dr. Shebuski’s view is one that is shared by other local health care professionals.

"Keweenaw Memorial Medical Center is committed to meeting the needs of the health care community including education on the hazards of tobacco and secondhand
smoke," said Lori Sullivan RN, Nurse Educator and coalition member. "We support the Copper Country Tobacco-Free Coalition's efforts in their goal of a healthier community."

Nancy Archambeau, R.N, Education Director at Portage Health summed it up by saying "The mission of Portage Health is to improve the overall health of our community and because so many chronic and debilitating diseases are a result of smoking, we are very supportive of any and all efforts to reduce smoking rates and protect people from the health risks associated with secondhand smoke."

Members of the Tobacco Coalition include representatives from the Copper Country Human Services Coordinating Body, Portage Health, Keweenaw Memorial Medical Center, Houghton Medical Arts, local schools, Dial HELP, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Superior AmeriCorps and Copper Country Mental Health.

The Coalition meets monthly. Meetings are open to the public and anyone interested in tobacco issues is invited to attend. For more information, call Gail Ploe at 482-7382. For help quitting, call the Michigan Quit Line at 1-800-480-7848. A detailed summary of the Surgeon General’s report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, and other related information can be found on CDC’s Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco) or smokefreeup.org.