Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in the world, in America, in Indiana and right here in Vanderburgh County. Cigarettes cause more deaths than cocaine, auto accidents, AIDS, alcohol, heroin, fire, suicide and homicide combined.

The cost to our society is great, including over 5.4 million lives lost every year worldwide, 400,000 in the U.S. and 9,800 in Indiana. This is not including the 50,000 Americans (1,200 Hoosiers) that die every year from exposure to someone else's smoke.

In Vanderburgh County 28% of the adult population smokes. Thats 37,000 smokers, of which 458 die every year and 9,160 continue to live with a tobacco related illness.

How many times have you heard the words "tough economic times" lately? How much of it can we contribute to smoking?

$2.08 billion in annual health care costs related to tobacco use each year in Indiana with $487 million in Medicaid costs alone.

Which means each Indiana family pays $585 per household to treat tobacco related diseases each year whether they smoke or not.

Secondhand smoke costs Indiana $390.3 million dollars in excess medical expenses, or about $62 dollars per person each year.

What a drag, right?

This is why we do what we do.

 

-MarthaCaine - Director of SWIN HCP TFI

 

 

 

 

 

Smokefree Communities is a community collaboration of many groups, organizations and individuals from every sector of Vanderburgh County including:

 

• residents
• educators
• service providers
• health professionals
• faith groups
• students
• business professionals

 

We work together proactively to continuously improve the safety, health and well being of our communities through tobacco prevention and education. We serve as a catalyst for changing the behavioral norms surrounding tobacco for the people who live and work in our communities.

 YOU CAN GET INVOLVED TOO!

 

Do you care about your community and the health of its members?

Are you a member of a group or organization that is engaged in issues relating to health, human services or public safety?

Are you a socially conscious resident who is tired of having to breathe air polluted by secondhand smoke?

Do you just want a chance to make a positive difference in the world or give something back?

If the answer is YES to any of these questions, then you need to say YES to joining the coalition!!! Meetings are generally held the third Thursday of the month at 3:30 p.m.  Call us for the location of the meeting at 303-7378

Meet the Staff

Martha Caine - Director of Southwest Indiana Healthy Communities Partnership Tobacco Free Initiative- itpcsmokefree@hotmail.com

Casey Williams - Assistant Director of Southwest Indiana Healthy Communities Partnership Tobacco Free Initiative- smokefreecomm@hotmail.com

Julie Phillips - Director of Smokefree Communities- jp123@evansville.edu