Dr. Shou Ling Leong, an educator at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, explains that smoking cigarettes in the past was something that only men did, not women and children. But clever advertising campaigns targeted to women and children changed that.

In the video below, Dr. Dennis Gingrich, an educator at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, provides a brief history of smoking and the changes that have been made as a society to discourage smoking in public spaces.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — You are invited to participate in this year’s “Fight for Air” Walk to help to raise awareness of lung disease and the need for better treatments and a cure. The walk will take place Sunday, October 14 at the Carousel Pavilion, Harrisburg City Island. Registration and fun begins at noon with the walk beginning at 1 p.m.

“We’ve done air quality studies, we’ve done economic impact studies, and we have seen that there has been no change in the revenue that is collected from those places that are smoke-free,” says Judy Ochs, the director for the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control.

Tobacco use is evaluated as a fifth vital sign in many doctors’ offices today. It has been added to the preliminary physical assessment because it is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States. It is highly encouraged to involve the healthcare provider in preparation, duration, and follow-up along the Tobacco Quit journey. It’s called a journey because it is a process that needs to be embraced by the individual that is fighting to achieve and maintain tobacco free living. Tobacco addiction is real and it has three parts to it, and to conquer it, it must be attacked from all sides. It is mental, physical, and social. (Freedom From Smoking, 2010 American Lung Association)

Dozens of Pennsylvania parks and recreational areas are being declared smoke-free zones.

Did you know that on average, adults who smoke cigarettes die 14 years earlier than nonsmokers?  And, that more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined? (CDC.gov)  These are some good reasons to seriously think about taking steps towards quitting.

The American Lung Association’s latest health disparity report, “Cutting Tobacco’s Rural Roots: Tobacco Use in Rural Communities,” examines the prevalence of tobacco addiction and exposure to secondhand smoke in rural America, particularly among rural youth.

"I want to - - want to quit."  Many tobacco users everyday echo this statement. In fact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that as many as 69% of people who smoke want to quit.

YORK, PA—The American Lung Association in Pennsylvania will hold the Fight for Air WALK Kickoff Open House on Thursday, August 30 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Waterfall Cafe at WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital, 45 Monument Road, York.