May 31 marks World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) and Alberta Health Services is raising awareness of the tobacco cessation resources available.
More than 4,000 Albertans die every year because of tobacco use and tens of thousands more Albertans have serious tobacco-related illnesses that significantly affect their quality of life.
Alberta Health Services says quitting smoking will improve your health but the health of the community as well.
AHS is offering a variety of free programs and services to help Albertans quit tobacco. Telephone counseling, online self-help information, and group cessation programs are all offered to Albertans.
- AlbertaQuits Helpline,1-866-710-QUIT (7848), which provides one-to-one telephone counseling.
- The website albertaquits.ca, which provides information and tools for preparing people to quit.
- QuitCore, a group support program that provides individuals with the strategies and skills they need to quit smoking while connecting them with others who are also trying to quit.
Anyone interested in getting more information and resources can look to health clinics, pharmacies, and dental offices across the country.
AHS says tobacco and tobacco-like products can contribute to some environmental harm like deforestation, land degradation, energy and water consumption, emissions, and post-consumer waste. Canada produced 14,759 tons of tobacco-related waste in 2018: 9,421 tons due to packaging and 5,338 due to cigarette butts.