The list of illnesses caused by tobacco use is long and contains many of the most common causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, lung disease, many forms of cancer, and vascular diseases.
Cigarette use alone, results in an estimated 430,000 deaths each year in the U.S., including 28,600 deaths in Florida. Secondhand smoke causes 50,000 deaths each year among adult non-smokers in the United States with 2,520 of those deaths among Floridians.
The Tobacco Prevention Program works to reduce tobacco-related illnesses and death in Hillsborough County by:
- Increasing access to Tobacco Free Florida’s free quit services
- Supporting youth tobacco and vaping prevention efforts with Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) clubs
- Assisting local organizations (e.g., apartments, condos, businesses, parks, etc.) to adopt and implement voluntary smokefree and/or tobacco free policies
- Supporting community-led coalitions like the Tobacco Free Partnership of Hillsborough County
To achieve these goals, program staff complete work across multiple policy areas including Point of Sale, Tobacco Free K-12 Schools, Smokefree Multiunit Housing, Tobacco Free Parks and Beaches, Cessation Access, Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), and Tobacco Free Partnership.
For more information about the Tobacco Prevention Program, call 813-559-4760.
For information about Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), contact the Hillsborough SWAT Coordinator at 813-422-8978 or email SWATHillsborough@gmail.com
For information about the Tobacco Free Partnership of Hillsborough County, email TobaccoFreeHillsborough@gmail.com