Tobacco Free, LGBT, Santa Cruz County

A program of The Diversity Center
Funded by a grant from The California Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Section

  • Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community
  • General Tobacco Use Information
  • Benefits of Quitting Smoking
  • California Smokers' Helpline
  • Secondhand Smoke-Harmful to Everyone, Especially Children & Pets
  • Smoking in Cars-A New Law
  • Links to Additional Resources
  • For Additional Information
  • To Volunteer

 

Tobacco Use in the LGBT Community
  • LGBT women smoke almost three times more than straight women.
  • LGBT men smoke approximately 50% more than straight men.
  • LGBT youth are smoking at an alarming rate! A national study found that 45% of females and 35% of males who report same-sex attraction or behavior are smoking. Non-LGBT adolescents are smoking at a rate of 29%.

General Tobacco Use Information
  • Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States!
  • Tobacco use causes more deaths each year than HIV, drugs, alcohol abuse, car accidents and murders combined.
  • Most people start smoking before they are 18 years old.
  • Nicotine is more addictive than cocaine or heroin.

Benefits of Quitting Smoking
  • Blood pressure drops to normal
  • The oxygen level in your blood increases to normal
  • Your taste buds come back to life; food tastes better
  • The ability to smell is enhanced
  • Lung capacity increases-Shortness of breath and cough decrease
  • Lung function increases up to 30%
  • Overall health and energy improves
  • You get fewer colds
  • Your home, car, and clothing no longer smell like smoke
  • You are a better example for your children, increasing the chance that they will never smoke
  • You have more available income

 

The California Smoker's Helpline

Call 1-800-NO-BUTTS

You can also go to their website - www.californiasmokershelpline.org. Information is provided in Spanish as well as English

This site is funded by the California Department of Public Health

 

Secondhand Smoke-Harmful to Everyone, Especially Children & Pets
  • There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
  • Secondhand smoke is a mixture of what the smoker exhales and the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar.
  • Dogs whose owners smoke are twice as likely to develop cancer!
  • Cats exposed to secondhand smoke are three times more likely to develop lymphoma, a deadly cancer.
  • Scientific research clearly shows that secondhand smoke can harm the development of a fetus.
  • Smoking is associated with premature birth and low birth weight.
  • Children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke exposure for several reasons:
  • Children breathe in more air for their size and weight than adults .
  • Secondhand smoke is especially dangerous to the developing lungs and immune systems of children.
  • Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, of which 50 are known to cause cancer.
  • Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, other cancers.
  • When tobacco smoke enters a room, it can take up to 10 hours for the chemicals in the smoke to disappear, even after the cigarette has been put out.
  • Make a pledge to have a smoke-free home! Protect your family, friends, and pets from secondhand smoke by not allowing smoking inside of your apartment or house. You can click here to download a PDF of a pledge certificate. Once you print it and sign it, you can fax it to us at 425- 0743, or mail it to The Diversity Center at 1117 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. You are also welcome to come into the Center to drop off your pledge. Come to see all of the resources we have to offer! Once received, we will send you a pledge acknowledgement along with a gift to recognize your commitment to having a smoke-free home. Thank you!

 

Smoking in Cars-A New Law

Effective January 1, 2008, it is illegal to smoke in a car if a minor is present, regardless of whether the vehicle is stationary or moving. Violations are punishable by a fine of up to $100.

The bill states that an officer may not pull over a vehicle for the sole purpose of checking if the driver is smoking with a minor present. However, violators can be cited for smoking in a car with a minor present when stopped by an officer for another traffic violation.

A California Air Resource Board study declared secondhand smoke a toxic air contaminate and that the average particulate concentrations in vehicles are up to "10 times higher than the average particulate concentrations found in the homes of smokers." Since the lungs of young children are still developing, they have higher breathing rates than adults and are thus a higher risk for secondhand smoke. With little or no control over their environments, especially in cars, supporters contend that this bill is essential to protect them.

Additionally, the California Medical Association maintains that environmental tobacco smoke, such as that in vehicles, can cause cancer, respiratory illness, and trigger asthma attacks. They also note how secondhand smoke increases the risk of sinus and ear infections in children, as well as pneumonia and bronchitis.

 

Links to Additional Resources
To access links to information about tobacco use click here. There are local resources, quit smoking resources, tobacco use and the LGBT community information, and more.

For information about smoke-free housing and available resources, click here.


For Additional Information

To get more information about the effects of tobacco use, secondhand smoke, support for quitting smoking, or any other tobacco related issue, give us a call at 425-5422, or send an email to .

 

To Volunteer

If you are interested in reducing exposure to secondhand smoke and/or promoting smoke-free homes, your participation is welcome! Give us a call at 425-5422. Project Director, Marcia Stein, will have a way for you to contribute.



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