2. Quit smoking; avoid second-hand smoke 

Exactly 46 years ago — Jan. 11, 1964 — the government issued its first official warning that smoking may be hazardous to one’s health. Nearly a half-century later, more than 43 million Americans still smoke. There are lots of ways to quit, including pharmaceuticals such as Chantix. One drug-free way is a smoking cessation class like the local Breathe Easy classes or the Freedom From Smoking class through Backus’ Respiratory Therapy department. Gen Zawilinski, a respiratory therapist at Backus,encourages everyone to quit smoking but acknowledged that quitting cold turkey without support isn’t easy. “You need to commit to it and if you don’t it’s not going to work,” she said. “You need to have supportive people around you and take advantage of resources.” On March 1, Backus Hospital and all its locations will become smoke-free.

Fast fact

Tobacco use accounts for over a $100 billion annually in financial costs to the U.S. economy.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Web extra:

CDC Flash presentation of how second-hand smoke affects lungs