admin

admin

About admin

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far admin has created 71 blog entries.

Chew on This: Oral Nicotine in Our Community

Free informational seminar led by Dr. Iyaad Hasan, DNP, MBA, APRN, CTTS, The Breathing Association

Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 1:30pm – 3:00pm

741 E Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43205

As part of our Quit Cold Turkey Day, a day of awareness, education, prevention and treatment of tobacco and nicotine addiction, The Breathing Association will host an informative seminar on the rapidly growing trend of oral nicotine. Chew on This: Oral Nicotine in Our Community will focus on the implications of oral nicotine use, providing leaders with the knowledge and tools to address growing concerns, particularly for our youth. Empowering community leaders, teachers, coaches, health professionals, parents and care givers with the knowledge and skills about what oral nicotine is, how it is purchased, and the health effects of this very popular and addictive nicotine product. Please reserve your spot at the link below for this valuable, free event.

Come early for the Quit Cold Turkey Day event, from 10am – 1pm we will host the public under tent in our parking lot for interactive educational displays on nicotine and tobacco addiction. In addition to Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health, fellow healthcare organizations will be on hand sharing resources for nicotine and tobacco cessation for a healthier life. We will have the well-known DJ IQ providing entertainment as well as free cold turkey sandwiches to promote ‘quitting cold turkey’.

2024-11-11T09:12:04-05:00November 11th, 2024|Uncategorized|
Read More

The Breathing Association To Hold Quit Cold Turkey Day As Part Of The Nationwide Great American Smokeout To Promote Smoking And Vaping Cessation

On Thursday, November 21st, 2024, The Breathing Association will host their second annual Quit Cold Turkey Day in the parking lot at their office at 741 E Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205 from 10 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This event is open to the public, meant to motivate and inspire tobacco users to begin the quit journey. Our education and treatment programs will address nicotine and tobacco addiction. The invitation has been extended to local leaders and legislators. We will feature interactive activities educating guests about tobacco addiction, as well as several healthcare organizations, including Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health with resources and information to share. Well-known DJ IQ will be there to provide music. In the spirit of “going cold turkey”, free cold turkey sandwiches will be provided.

November is an important month for lung health issues. In addition to Lung Cancer Awareness month, we also bring awareness to COPD, both conditions that could be prevented by not smoking or vaping. Whether you are a smoker or care for someone who is, you will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialists about beginning a healthier future, tobacco free.

“The Great American Smokeout provides smokers with a powerful opportunity to commit to quitting by setting aside a specific day to focus on their journey to becoming smoke-free. Our Quit Cold Turkey Day raises awareness about the health risks of smoking and connects individuals to resources that can support their cessation efforts. Additionally, it highlights the numerous health and financial benefits of quitting, empowering smokers to take control of their well-being and make a positive change.”

Dr. Iyaad Hasan, DNP, MBA, APRN, CTTS, Chief Operating Officer & VP of Operations, The Breathing Association

Quit Cold Turkey Day is The Breathing Association’s part of the much wider annual day of cessation promoted by the American Cancer Society, Great American Smokeout. Supporters of tobacco cessation for decades, The Breathing Association has been working with the City of Columbus for the last year, driving the Make It Make Sense campaign, bringing awareness and cessation to populations targeted by tobacco companies. This event is made possible with the generous support of Columbus Public Health and ADAMH.

2024-11-11T09:10:08-05:00November 11th, 2024|Uncategorized|
Read More

Coffee & Conversation: Challenges and Strategies Related to Oral Nicotine Use

Thursday, November 21st from 8am – 9:30am

741 E Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205

As part of The Breathing Association’s Quit Cold Turkey Day, join our team for some coffee and conversations. Meet our Certified Tobacco Treatment Clinicians as we host an informal conversation about the growing trend of oral nicotine use for primary care providers. Join us in our clinic at 741 E Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205 on Thursday, November 21st from 8am – 9:30am to talk about fostering a supportive network and sharing experiences and solutions. The use of oral nicotine is a concerning trend among our youth and together we can share solutions for prevention and education of the effects of usage.

As part of our day of cessation, from 10am – 1pm we will host the public under tents in our parking lot for interactive educational displays on nicotine and tobacco addiction. In addition to Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health, fellow healthcare organizations will be on hand sharing resources for nicotine and tobacco cessation for a healthier life. We will have the well-known DJ IQ providing entertainment as well as free cold turkey sandwiches to promote ‘quitting cold turkey’.

2024-11-11T09:09:20-05:00November 11th, 2024|Uncategorized|
Read More

Quit Cold Turkey Day: A Day of Tobacco & Nicotine Cessation

Thursday, November 21st
The Breathing Association
741 E Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43205

As part of the National Day of Cessation, The Great American Smokeout, promoted by the American Cancer Society, The Breathing Association will host Quit Cold Turkey Day, a daylong event to motivate, inspire and bring awareness as we educate, share prevention and treatment techniques for tobacco and nicotine addiction. The event will be in three parts:

Coffee & Conversation: Challenges and Strategies Related to Oral Nicotine Use

8:00am – 9:30am

Our Certified Tobacco Treatment Clinicians will host an informal coffee and conversation about the growing trend of oral nicotine use for primary care providers. Join us in our clinic to talk about fostering a supportive network and sharing experiences and solutions. The use of oral nicotine is a concerning trend among our youth and together we can share solutions for prevention and education of the effects of usage.

Quit Cold Turkey Day

10:00am – 1:00pm

This event is open to the public, meant to motivate and inspire tobacco users to begin the quit journey. Our education and treatment programs will address nicotine and tobacco addiction. The invitation has been extended to local leaders and legislators. We will feature interactive activities educating guests about tobacco addiction, as well as several healthcare organizations, including Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health with resources and information to share. Well-known DJ IQ will be there to provide music. In the spirit of “going cold turkey”, free cold turkey sandwiches will be provided.

Supporters of tobacco cessation for decades, The Breathing Association has been working with the City of Columbus for the last year, driving the Make It Make Sense campaign, bringing awareness and cessation to populations targeted by tobacco companies. This event is made possible with the generous support of Columbus Public Health and ADAMH.

Chew on This: Oral Nicotine in Our Community

Free informational seminar led by Dr. Iyaad Hasan, DNP, MBA, APRN, CTTS, The Breathing Association

1:30pm – 3:00pm

From 1:30pm – 3:00pm, we will host an informative seminar on the rapidly growing trend of oral nicotine. Chew on This: Oral Nicotine in Our Community will focus on the implications of oral nicotine use, providing leaders with the knowledge and tools to address growing concerns, particularly for our youth. Empowering community leaders, teachers, coaches, health professionals, parents and care givers with the knowledge and skills about what oral nicotine is, how it is purchased, and the health effects of this very popular and addictive nicotine product. Please reserve your spot at the link below for this valuable, free event.

2024-11-11T09:07:21-05:00November 11th, 2024|Uncategorized|
Read More

It’s Time for a Change

I looked forward to writing the November article to fit the “Thanksgiving” theme. The CDC’s “Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students-National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2024”, Morbidity and Morality Weekly Report, /October 17, 2024, certainly gives us reason to be thankful. It shares that youth use of nicotine products has continued to decline yet adds that comprehensive and sustained evidence-based tobacco control strategies are needed. That is what I was planning to focus on. However, I recently received an email from a young man I had the privilege of formally working with. He emailed me asking if I could help or give him any direction in his time of need. He mentors and is the “Big Brother” of a young man who finds himself in a difficult situation. He was caught at school with a vape and then a vape was found in his car on school property. He is now facing expulsion.

As a former school administrator, I appreciate that schools are the “front lines” of our youth’s substance use and are uniquely positioned to identify and support students who may be addicted to nicotine or at risk of addiction. Schools can design their education and disciplinary practices to help prevent youth from starting and offer supportive approaches when students are caught using nicotine products. The CDC said, ” The most effective approaches to help students quit tobacco use are through counseling and education. “We must move away from the old mindset of zero tolerance policies and adopt appropriately structured “alternative-to-suspension” programs that incorporate cessation strategies and guide students toward quitting nicotine products while remaining in school.

The use of expulsion and suspension is shown to increase the likelihood of negative educational outcomes. These outcomes include lower test scores, higher dropout rates, and reduced likelihood of postsecondary education.  It is important to understand that according to the U.S. Department of Education, there is a significant difference in the use of punitive discipline based on race and ethnicity of students. Black students are much more likely to be suspended and expelled. Moving away from punitive discipline and focusing on supportive approaches will have the benefit of supporting student academic achievement, improving health, and decreasing inequities.

It’s time for a change.

2024-11-06T16:34:07-05:00November 6th, 2024|Bruce Barcelo|
Read More

Things Aren’t Adding Up

I remember so well when I was an elementary school principal. I would love to drop by classrooms as students worked together with their teachers on math problems. Sometimes, a problem was a bit tricky, and the teacher had to help the students add it. Let me give you a problem, and let’s see if it adds up. First, I need to give you the structure of our problem. Commercial tobacco products must submit to the FDA a Premarket Tobacco Product Application for every product they wish to have on the market. The FDA has received millions of applications and only approved 27. Only 4 of them are flavored products. The FDA provides “authorization” for these products not “approval” as it does for food, drugs, and devices. None of the 27 authorized e-cigarettes have been authorized as a modified-risk tobacco product. It’s important to note that companies did not apply for a modified risk either. Why? They do not have the evidence to prove that e-cigarettes are a safe alternative to combustible cigarettes or that they are an effective tool for quitting smoking.

None of the 27 authorized e-cigarettes are “disposable” or “single-use” vapes. This is an important concern not only for public health but for environmental reasons as well. With six disposable vapes being sold every second in the United States, the discarding of these products presents a significant environmental challenge. Once the e-liquid runs out, these devices contain a lithium-ion battery glued to them, which makes them nearly impossible to safely remove or recycle. The environmental toll of these products is a major concern.

Now, understanding all this, let’s solve this math problem. The FDA has approved only 27 e-cigarettes, and of those, 4 are flavored. Today there are over 9,000 flavored e-cigarettes available in the United States, sold in gas stations, corner stores, grocery stores, vape shops, and bars, all illegally.

How does that add up?

2024-11-06T16:31:38-05:00November 6th, 2024|Bruce Barcelo|
Read More

Get Ready for the Summer Crisis Program and Score a Swag Bag!

Summer is just around the corner, and with it comes the need to stay cool and comfortable. We understand that some of you may face challenges in keeping your homes adequately cooled during the scorching months. That’s why we are thrilled to announce the Summer Crisis Program 2023, starting on July 3!

Through the Summer Crisis Program, you can receive an air conditioner and/or fan. To learn if you’re eligible, schedule an in-person visit or a phone interview.

To make this year’s program even more exciting, we have prepared something special for you.

Introducing the SCP Summer Swag Bag!

What’s in the swag bag, you ask? Well, it’s a surprise! But rest assured, it’s filled with fantastic goodies that are sure to put a smile on your face. Think branded stress balls, chapstick, ice/heat packs, and other fun knick-knacks we’ve carefully curated just for you.

Here’s what you need to do to receive your SCP Summer Swag Bag:

  1. Schedule your appointment, either in person or by phone, between July 3 and July 14.
  2. Submit a completed application.

To make your appointment and secure your Swag Bag, call 614-969-0978 today!

Our friendly team is ready to assist you and answer any questions you may have. Stay tuned for more updates and information on how we can make this summer a comfortable and enjoyable one for everyone in our community.

2023-06-26T14:20:37-04:00June 26th, 2023|HEAP|
Read More

Perinatal Nicotine Cessation

According to a recent review of maternal and infant wellbeing, “smoking in pregnancy constitutes the largest remediable risk factor for maternal and child health.”1 Because smoking is a risk factor that can be altered, cessation initiatives for those who are pregnant have the potential to positively impact both maternal and child health. Approximately 16% of women and birthing persons in the United States smokes tobacco2.

Obstetrical complications including placental abruption, fetal growth restriction, hemorrhage, and ectopic pregnancy are among the most common complications for birthing people during pregnancy. Pulmonary conditions such as asthma, birth defects of the mouth, increased irritability, bone fractures, breastfeeding difficulties, childhood obesity, and sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUIDS) are among the most common birth and health complications for children with nicotine exposure.1  Parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, who are unmarried or has a partner who smokes, who are heavy to moderate smokers, and who have a high school diploma or less are more likely to use nicotine during pregnancy. Those most likely to continue smoking during the postpartum period are parents who have exposure to second-hand smoke in the home, are formula feeding, did not intend to quit smoking long-term prior to pregnancy, have concerns about weight gain, and have stressors during pregnancy that worsen due to a lack of support.4

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology suggests that successful nicotine cessation strategies for those who are pregnant and postpartum will require providers to address these factors and the psychosocial stressors occurring during pregnancy and after birth.5 There is a myriad of stressors that can present for mothers and pregnant people that are specific to the perinatal period including circumstances of their pregnancy, risks for interpersonal violence, financial readiness to support a child, and status of parental leave benefits. Cessation programming and interventions that are specifically designed to support those who are pregnant in trying to quit nicotine must take these things into consideration.

We can improve perinatal nicotine cessation outcomes for moms, birthing people, and babies by doing the following:

  1. Engage in universal screening for nicotine and perinatal mental health conditions that co-occur in those who smoke, vape, or dip.
  2. Offer tangible resources that address psychosocial stressors.
  3. Connect parents with culturally responsive education and treatment options.

Let us work together to partner with organizations who can support this collective effort for the betterment of moms, birthing people, and babies in our community.

References:

  1. Gould, G. S., Havard, A., Lim, L. L., & Kumar, R. (2020). Exposure to Tobacco, Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Nicotine in Pregnancy: A Pragmatic Overview of Reviews of Maternal and Child Outcomes, Effectiveness of Interventions and Barriers and Facilitators to Quitting. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(6), 2034. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17062034
  2. Azagba, S., Manzione, L., Shan, L., & King, J. L. (2020). Trends in smoking during pregnancy by socioeconomic characteristics in the United States, 2010–2017. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-2748-y
  3. Magee, S. R., Bublitz, M. H., Orazine, C. I., Brush, B., Salisbury, A. L., Niaura, R., & Stroud, L. R. (2014). The Relationship Between Maternal–Fetal Attachment and Cigarette Smoking Over Pregnancy. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 18(4), 1017–1022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-013-1330-x
  4. Levine, M. D., Cheng, Y., Marcus, M. D., & Kalarchian, M. A. (2012). Relapse to Smoking and Postpartum Weight Retention Among Women Who Quit Smoking During Pregnancy. Obesity, 20(2), 457–459. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2011.334
  5. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Tobacco and nicotine cessation during pregnancy. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 807. Obstetrical Gynecology, 135, e221–9.
2023-06-05T08:43:29-04:00June 5th, 2023|Dr. Alfred|
Read More

School’s Out for Summer

Schools have pretty much wrapped up this school year. Seniors have graduated and elementary students have had their field day. For some youth, summer is a great time to have a part-time job, vacation with their family, or simply enjoy the warm summer days.  Some of our kids will find it a challenge to feed their nicotine addiction away from the school hallways and bathrooms. So, what are we as parents and caregivers supposed to do?  Here are several tips that your child might be vaping.

Have they started becoming more secretive and closing their door more often? This is certainly normal adolescent behavior so each parent or caregiver will have to establish what is normal for their child.   Maybe they are making a lot of excuses to use the restroom or go outdoors. Does their room have a sweet smell and are they using candles or room fresheners to disguise a smell? How about physically, is there a change in their sleeping, or have they developed a raspy cough or have lung infections? Maybe you will see a change in eating habits or having nausea.  The last one, are they more irritable, have more mood swings, or are they anxious.  This could be a sign that they are vaping.

I cannot leave us at just identifying if our child is vaping, I must share several next steps if you believe they may be vaping. First, talk to them. Come to this conversation with concern, not judgment. Listen more than you talk.  Help them develop a plan as to how they can quit. You might want to include their physician in this conversation.  For additional resources, check out Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes.   https://www.parentsagainstvaping.org/

2023-06-05T08:42:04-04:00June 5th, 2023|Bruce Barcelo|
Read More

World Tobacco Day is May 31st!

World No Tobacco Day is this month. On May 31st, schools, healthcare professionals, and public health champions from around the world will join together to raise awareness about the devastating impact tobacco products have on our health and our environment. Typically, youth are not moved by numbers, but these may perk their ears up just a bit. Tobacco kills up to half of its users and more specifically, more than 8 million people each year. Over 7 million of those deaths are the result of using a tobacco product while 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

What does interest them are environmental concerns. Here is my “Bruce’s Best” for May. Talk about the environmental impact of tobacco.

  • Scarce available land and water are being used for tobacco cultivation with thousands of hectares of timber being destroyed for tobacco production.
  • 766,571 metric tons of cigarette butts make their way into the environment every year.
  • If you put cigarette litter waste “butt to butt”, it would wrap around the earth 3 times!
  • Vapes create major plastics environmental waste, tech waste, and introduction of toxic chemicals into the environment.

Help our youth find their voice and become advocates for issues that will change the world.

2023-05-02T15:04:25-04:00May 2nd, 2023|Bruce Barcelo|
Read More

CONTACT

The Breathing Association
741 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43205

Telephone: (614) 457-4570
Fax: (614) 457-3777
Email Address: heap@breathingassociation.org

STAY CONNECTED

Follow The Breathing Association on social media for the latest news, helpful resources, and more ways to stay connected.

Go to Top