IDPH News - Healthy Homes are Smoke Free Homes

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Iowa Department of Public Health - Protecting and Improving the Health of Iowans

6/1/2017

IDPH News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Polly Carver-Kimm
Polly.Carver-Kimm@idph.iowa.gov


Healthy Homes are Smoke Free Homes

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) joins the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in recognizing June as the second annual National Healthy Homes Month (NHHM).

The theme for the month is “Just What the Doctor Ordered.” One focus of the observation is smoke free homes. Adults and children who breathe secondhand smoke have an increased risk for asthma, ear infections, heart disease and lung cancer.

The main place young children breathe secondhand smoke is in their homes. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, three million children in the U.S. under the age of 6 years old breathe secondhand smoke at home at least four days per week.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Smoke Free Homes Registry lists more than 1,000 smoke free rental properties. In order to be entered in the registry, a property must have at least one building that is 100 percent smoke free and must have this specified in the lease language. To find a smoke free rental property in your area, visit SmokeFreeHomes.iowa.gov.   

Residents of a smoke free property who use tobacco are given information about Quitline Iowa to help them quit smoking. Quitline Iowa pairs tobacco users with a Quit Coach® to help them develop a quitting plan and determine if patches, nicotine gum or lozenges, or another medication would help them quit for good. A Quit Coach® also helps those enrolling in the program by:

  • Preparing participants for their quit date
  • Helping develop an individualized Quitting Plan
  • Providing tips and support to live in a smoke free environment
  • Offering advice and information on medications that may help with withdrawal symptoms

All Iowans can take advantage of the program by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)  or visiting www.quitlineiowa.org to enroll. Registration specialists and Quit Coach® staff members are available 24 hours a day. To learn more about smoke free properties in Iowa visit https://smokefreehomes.iowa.gov

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