Op Ed: Tobacco Free Allen County

By Nancy Cripe

Tobacco Free Allen County applauds the Indiana Legislature and Governor Mike Braun for the July 1 tobacco tax increase. When Indiana’s leading cause of preventable disease and death is commercial tobacco use, no one benefits from keeping tobacco accessibly cheap.

Higher tobacco taxes consistently lead to decreased use and increased interest in quitting. The $2-per-pack increase on cigarette taxes alone will save lives. The American Lung Association estimates we could see an additional 38,000 Hoosier smokers move to quit, resulting in a very significant reduction in the burden of heart disease, cancers, COPD, diabetes, and other tobacco-related illnesses in our communities.

Is this YOUR time to quit? Whether it’s cigarettes, vapes, pouches, chew, or cigars you’d like to kiss goodbye, free help is available:

• Indiana residents can access an array of quitting resources through Quit Now Indiana, our state-funded, nicotine dependence recovery service. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, search quitnowindiana.com, or text READY to 34191.

• Vape users ages 13-26 can get free help tailored specifically to them through Livevapefree.com or Exprogram.com (go online or text EXPROGRAM to 88709). Vapers ages 18 to 26 can also access text-message-based quitting support by texting INDIANA to 873373.

• 7-week Freedom from Smoking® classes are available through Parkview Community Nursing. Call 260-266-6500 to learn more or sign up.

• Nationwide, the American Lung Association offers tobacco recovery programming at 1-800-LUNGUSAand www.lung.org/quit-smoking.

These resources offer effective tools to support anyone ready to quit. No lectures, shaming, or moralizing—just positive guidance, encouragement, and resources that work!

Website: tobaccofree02.org

Email ncripe@tobaccofree02.org

Phone: (260) 760-7555