To observe the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 20, the DeKalb County Board of Health is releasing a new report on tobacco use in the county.

Smoking is the most preventable cause of disease and death in the U.S. It causes more deaths than AIDS; alcohol, cocaine and heroin use; homicide; suicide; motor vehicle crashes and fires - combined. This is according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"The Status of Tobacco Control in DeKalb County 2003 report states that, despite the known dangers of cigarettes, 17 percent of DeKalb adults smoke. Among high school students, 44 percent have tried cigarettes and 18 percent are current smokers," notes Elise Beltrami, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Board of Health's Health Assessment and Promotion division. "These figures show that we must remain vigilant about discouraging tobacco use."

The new report also summarizes the agency's recent accomplishments made possible by a grant from the Georgia Department of Human Resources. These include passage of a 100 percent workplace and public place clean indoor air ordinance in unincorporated DeKalb, creation and support of the Prevention Alliance for Tobacco Control and Health (PATCH) and the awarding of 21 community mini-grants for prevention activities.
The American Cancer Society's 27th annual Great American Smokeout challenges smokers to quit. The event provides encouragement, advice and resources. They are available by calling 1-800-ACS-2345 or by visiting www.cancer.org.

For more help to quit smoking, call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at 1-877-270-STOP. For more information about the Status of Tobacco Control in DeKalb County 2003 report, call (404) 508-7847 or visit www.dekalbhealth.net and then click on "Community Collaborations."