Letter: Quit Smoking for Heart Health

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To the Editor:

February is American Heart Month — a great time to quit vaping, smoking or other tobacco products.

Smoking can lead to narrowing blood vessels and high blood pressure and it is a leading cause of heart disease. Vaping is still fairly new and less is known about its effect on the heart. However, the American Heart Association reports that two new studies find that vaping may be just as dangerous by increasing heart disease risk factors.

So, for American Heart Month, make a resolution for a healthier life for you and your family. If you vape, smoke or use other tobacco products, quitting is the most important step you can take to protect your health.

If you want to quit and tried in the past, don't give up. It often takes several tries before you quit for good. However, with planning and support, you can become tobacco-free.

Vapers, smokers and other tobacco product users can call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free coaching through phone, e-chat, and text 24 hours each day, seven days a week or you can find helpful information and enroll online through KeepTryingMA.org.

Make the choice to quit today, making this the beginning of a smoke-free and healthier you!

Joyce Brewer is the program manager for the Berkshire Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, a program of the Berkshire Area Health Education Center headquartered in Dalton. Contact her at 413-842-5160
or at jbrewer@berkshireahec.org.

 

 

 


Tags: smoking awareness,   

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Dalton Health Dept. Develops Temporary Food Event Info Sheet

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass.—The Board of Health approved an amended version of a Temporary Food Event Informational Sheet.
 
Health Agent Agnes Witkowski and her Administrative Assistant Christina Parkington developed this information sheet to streamline the permitting process for temporary food events. 
 
Before this information sheet, Witkowski would work with event organizers to determine the vendors. Then Witkowski and Parkington would reach out to the vendors with applications and information. 
 
"There's times when we even had somebody show up as a vendor not being permitted and then they're looking for what we require. Well, this is to help organize that and to make it smoother," Witkowski said. 
 
This document will be given to the event organizer and the vendors. 
 
"I think it's just good communication, and it's helping guidelines and expectations," Witkowski said. 
 
The sheet instructs the event coordinator to provide the Board of Health with a contact list of all vendors 30 days before the event. The list must include the vendor's name, contact person, phone number, and email address.
 
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