Dear editor,

Holiday classics often mention peace, joy, and comfort, but the sad truth is that this season can also be a very stressful time. Whether it’s holiday shopping, travel, or cooking, stressors can sometimes get the best of us, and even keep us from making healthy changes… like quitting cigarettes or tobacco.

While using tobacco products might make users feel better about stress levels in the short term, the stress usually comes back quickly afterward and often at a higher level since it’s combined with nicotine withdrawal.

However, stress is just the tip of the iceberg compared to tobacco use consequences like. According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths in the United States each year. In fact, more women die each year from lung cancer than breast cancer. Another surprising statistic is that more citizens in the United States have died from smoking than all those who’ve passed away from previous wars.

While quitting might be difficult at first, the benefits really pay off down the road. According to the American Cancer Society, quitting smoking lowers your risk of diabetes, allows blood vessels to work better, and improves heart and lung health.

You don’t have to do it alone. Free help is available through the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUIT NOW or wiquitline.org. Contact the Quit Line today and make your plan for a tobacco free holiday season.

As members of FACT, a youth-driven movement of Wisconsin teens spreading the truth about tobacco, I hope to educate our community about the harmful effects of tobacco and vapes during this holiday season. Visit FACTmovement.org to learn more about the work of FACT groups throughout the state.

Wisconsin Rapids FACT

Lincoln High School

Wisconsin Rapids