Help make Jay County smoke-free

To the editor:

More than one in five (21.5%) Indiana adults smoke cigarettes, one of the highest rates in the nation, while the number of youths using vaping products remains a concern for anti-smoking advocates.

Second-hand smoke is estimated to cause over 1,300 deaths among Hoosiers each year. About one in four non-smokers nationwide are exposed to second-hand smoke.

Strong smoke-free air laws protect more than workers, they protect all residents from second-hand smoke in public places.

Thousands of communities across the nation have made the smart choice to go smoke-free. Our coalition is working hard to make Jay County the next on that list.

The Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition's efforts for a smoke-free community were halted by the global coronavirus pandemic. With COVID-19 being a respiratory virus and having shown long-term effects, it has highlighted the public need for smoke-free air.

The pandemic has also pointed out the ever-present dangers of second-hand smoke. Masks do not protect people from second-hand smoke, smoke-free air laws do.

If you have questions or want to get involved in our coalition’s efforts, visit us at the Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition Facebook page or on our website at jcdpc.org.

Let’s do our part to make our community smoke-free.

Chynna Ratliff

Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition