Kick tobacco habit on Kick Butts Day

DU PAGE COUNTY – Kick Butts Day is Wednesday, March 20, and the DuPage County Health Department is urging County residents to stay tobacco-free and to educate their communities about the dangers of tobacco.

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. Studies show that 18.1 percent of high school students still smoke. Every single day, nearly 1,100 kids become regular smokers and nearly one-third of them will die prematurely as a result.

The Health Department recommends that smokers call the Illinois Tobacco Quitline for help. The Quitline is a service of the Illinois Department of Public Health and the American Lung Association of Illinois.

Call 1-866-QUIT YES (784-8937) to speak with a trained smoking cessation counselor. The counselor will help you:

• Assess your needs.

• Customize a quit plan.

• Find free local resources.

• Check with you to keep track of your progress.

For more information on the DuPage County Health Department, follow us on Twitter @DuPageHD or become a fan on Facebook.