Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition
Encourages Public to Partake In The
National Great American Smokeout
Hamtramck, MI. – The Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition wants you to quit smoking, and believes this Thursday is a good time to stop. November 18th marks the American Cancer Society’s 46th annual Great American Smokeout event, which takes place on the 3rd Thursday of November each year. This event is used to rally communities in initiating conversations about the risks of smoking, helping loved ones make their plan to quit, and encouraging those who are interested in quitting to unite with others making their plans and quitting on the same day.
Lara Girdwood, Director of the Hamtramck Drug Free Community Coalition (HDFCC), says “It can be easy to overlook important events like this during a pandemic, and maybe say ‘I’ll quit next year’, but there isn’t really a better time to be considering your health and the things you have control over to help improve it”.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, there are over 16,000 people in Michigan who die from smoking-related illnesses every year which could have been prevented.
HDFCC is using an internally-produced video published on their YouTube channel (Which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/BnZVxa5Oh_w or by using this address: https://tinyurl.com/Smokeout21), Facebook page, and on local school websites to help bring awareness to the community about the risks of smoking not just cigarettes, but e-cigarettes as well – another closely related substance leading to reduced health outcomes. In it, one will find statistics about the addictive properties of e-cigarettes and other alarming substances found in e-liquids. The video also provides local and national resources one can use to help make their plan to quit smoking or assist someone else in their journey. HDFCC encourages the community to support health and the Great American SmokeOut by utilizing and sharing those resources, found below:
Henry Ford Health System Youth Addiction Assessment Appointment:
https://www.henryford.com/services/behavioral-health/addiction/request-appointment
248-661-6100 for addiction assessment appointment
Specialized treatment for youth addiction
Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) 24/7 Access Helpline
1-800-241-4949
Wayne County Healthy Communities, Hamtramck location
https://www.waynecountyhealthy.com
313-871-1926
Screenings for substance-use disorders
Substance use counseling
Multiple languages available
Sliding scale fees
Michigan Tobacco Quitline:
http://map.naquitline.org/profile/usa/mi/
1-800-480-7848
1-800-784-8669
Phone counseling available in Arabic
Access to free cessation medication
SmokeFree.gov:
https://teen.smokefree.gov/quit-vaping
American Cancer Society:
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/great-american-smokeout.htmk
1-800-227-2345
Live chat available
HDFCC was founded by the Piast Institute in 2007 in response to rising rates of substance abuse among Hamtramck youth. Find out more about the coalition, upcoming events, and other preventative measures such Narcan Training at www.HamtramckDrugFree.com
HDFCC is funded by DWIHN, www.dwihn.org.