Service Disruption Notice
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) staff represented by CUPE Local 3314 and ONA Local 31 are currently exercising their legal right to strike. Until an agreement is reached, HPEPH is advising of temporary interruption in certain services. Please note that service changes indicated in the service disruption notice will be in effect as indicated and will continue only for the duration of the service disruption, and regular service will resume once the service disruption is over.
Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your life and health. You may smoke for many reasons, but you have better reasons to quit. If you have become addicted to vaping, we can help with that too! Think about your reasons for quitting and what you want to achieve, whether it be health, relationships, or finances. If you are ready to quit, we can help.
Our Programs and Services
HPEPH offers:
- Trained quit specialists and lost cost nicotine patches & gum, are available to the public by calling HPEPH’s Tobacco Talk Line at 613-966-5500 ext. 600.
- School health clinics for local high school students. Contact your guidance office or school Public Health Nurse to learn more.
We also recommend:
- Online resources can be found at smokershelpline.ca where you can also chat with a trained quit coach.
- The STOP on the Net program, which offers online support and 4 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy nicotinedependenceclinic.com.
For more information about any of these support resources, you can contact HPEPH’s Tobacco Talk Line at 613-966-5500 ext. 600.
Why Quit Smoking?
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada. If they don’t quit, half of all smokers will die of a smoking related disease. There is no safe level of tobacco use or exposure to second-hand smoke.
The burning of tobacco produces smoke that contains more than 7000 chemicals, including nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide. These chemicals are harmful to the person who is smoking, but also those exposed to smoke.
Nicotine is an addictive drug that affects the brain and nervous system. It acts as a stimulant and increases heart rate and breathing. Smoking cigarettes and using other forms of tobacco is both physically and mentally addictive.
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas formed when tobacco is burned. Carbon monoxide lowers the amount of oxygen carried in your blood, and therefore limits how much oxygen your body gets.
Quitting smoking improves the quality and length of your life and the lives of those around you. You start to become healthier the day you quit.
Benefits of Quitting
- Your blood pressure and heart rate drop within 20 minutes of quitting
- The amount of oxygen in your blood improves within 8 hours and carbon monoxide levels normalize within 12 hours
- Within 2 weeks to 3 months, your circulation improves and your lungs begin to work better
- Your risks of heart attack, stroke and cancer all decrease
- You will also save money, smell better, not have to go outside in the cold to smoke, be able to do more physical activities, taste food better and be a good role model to those around you
