Westchester County can help you quit smoking

This fall, the Westchester County Health Department and its community partners are offering free programs to help residents turn over a new leaf and quit smoking. A seven-week program developed by the American Lung Association called “Freedom from Smoking” is now available in Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, White Plains and Yonkers.

Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD, said: “With free programs, nicotine patches and community support available at convenient locations throughout Westchester, now is the right time to quit. Go online or call today so you can breathe easier and take charge of your health.”

Addiction to smoking is powerful, but the evidence of its harm is overwhelming. Smoking causes 480,000 deaths each year in the U.S., or nearly one in every five deaths. It is the number one cause of preventable death, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Lung cancer, which is closely linked to smoking, kills more people than any other cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “Addiction to nicotine products has cut short numerous lives to lung disease, heart disease and related illnesses; has robbed otherwise healthy individuals of their good health; has robbed families of fathers, mothers, siblings and other loved ones prematurely. That is why we are tackling the issue head on with Westchester Tobacco Free, a robust education and enforcement program.”

Latimer’s Tobacco Free program is available as follows:

In Mount Vernon: Westchester Community Health Center, Ndeye Yacine Loum, 914-699-7200 x 1504; [email protected]

In New Rochelle: United Community Center of Westchester, (se habla español), Saida Agustin, 914-813-2896, [email protected]

In White Plains: The Loft LGBTQ+ Community Center, Darby Allison-Dugue, 914-948-2932, x 13, [email protected]

In Yonkers: City of Restoration Ministries, Pastor Theresa Fraser, [email protected]

In Yonkers: Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, Rev. Nikolas Delaveris, 914-963-3638, [email protected]

Additional resources are as follows:

NYS Smokers’ Quit Line - 1-866-NYQUITS (1-866-697-8487)

Centers for Disease Control - 1-800-QUIT-NOW

American Cancer Society support groups - 1-800-277-2345

American Lung Association - find a clinic near you, call 1-800-LUNGUSA

Find Meeting | Nicotine Anonymous (nicotine-anonymous.org) for online or phone meetings