Healthy Choices - Healthy Lifestyle
The number of 18 to 34 year-olds in England who smoke increased by 25% in the first lockdown, according to a study published in the journal Addiction and funded by Cancer Research UK. This equates to over 652,000 more young adults smoking compared to before the pandemic, according to the charity’s estimates. This is a serious setback for tobacco prevention efforts.
Dr. Sarah Jackson lead the research study Moderators of changes in smoking, drinking and quitting behavior associated with the first COVID-19 lockdown in England. She explains: "The first lockdown was unprecedented in the way it changed people’s day-to-day lives. We found that many smokers took this opportunity to stop smoking, which is fantastic. However, the first lockdown was also a period of great stress for many people, and we saw rates of smoking and risky drinking increase among groups hardest hit by the pandemic." We know the lockdown will have ripple effects on mental and physical health in ways we are just now discovering. As we continue to battle COVID-19 its important to remember that addiction, stress and mental health issues still persist. If you need help managing stress, or managing addiction- there are ways you can still connect to support. Don't wait, reach out and find medical or professional help.
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xting Its no secret the popularity of vaping has grown among youth. As soon as new nicotine products hit the market with their sleek devices and enticing flavors, teens were hooked. Knowing the huge toll nicotine addiction will have an a teenager's future and health, one program has stepped in to take advantage of another common teen addiction: their smart phones. The "This is Quitting" is a free and anonymous text messaging program from Truth Initiative designed to help young people quit vaping. The first-of-its-kind quit program incorporates messages from other young people like them who have attempted to, or successfully quit, e-cigarettes. Our messages show the real side of quitting, both the good and the bad, to help young people feel motivated, inspired and supported throughout their quitting process. We also send young people evidence-based tips and strategies to quit and stay quit. This is Quitting is tailored based on age (within 13 to 24 years old) and product usage to give teens and young adults appropriate recommendations about quitting. We know from countless studies that Smoking Cessation is much more successful when you have social support. Youth should take the same approach with their quit attempts, especially from electronic products. Cessation programs aimed at youth should take advantage of teen's willingness to utilize anonymous texting as a means of support. |
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