Tobacco cessation at Fairchild Published Nov. 20, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Ryan Zeski 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing more than 443,000 deaths each year. On Nov. 15, 2012, the Air Force implemented the mandatory AFI 40-102 changes. These changes included the designation of tobacco-free medical campuses, updated new designated tobacco areas and new locations where tobacco use is prohibited and revised delineation of responsibilities to promote a tobacco-free Air Force. It has been a year since these changes took effect and as well as the total Air Force, Fairchild has improved in decreased tobacco use. Tobacco use has decreased by 13.6 percent in the past year at Fairchild and has decreased the number of smokers by 23.6 percent. It is proven using tobacco products negatively affects your health. The risk of lung, mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder cancer is cut in about half when someone quits using tobacco. Upon quitting heart rate and blood pressure drop, circulation and lung function increases, carbon monoxide levels in blood drops to normal and the body overall will begin to function properly. "Each year, smoking kills more people than AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders, suicides and fires combined," said Will Saultes, 92nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron exercise physiologist. There is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke. Every year, thousands of non-smokers die from heart disease and lung cancer while hundreds of thousands of children suffer from respiratory infections caused by the exposure to secondhand smoke. This is why the mission of the Health and Wellness Center at Fairchild is to promote, provide and employ a tobacco free environment that will enhance mission readiness. Their vision is to incorporate cost effective programs and policies that will provide the Fairchild community a high quality of tobacco free education and resources. "Our goal is to prevent tobacco use initiation, decrease the number of supportive environments for tobacco use and increase the number of tobacco users enrolled in treatment," said Saultes. For more information about the tobacco cessation or ways to quit, contact the Health and Wellness Center at (509) 247-5590.