WFHB FireHouse Broadcasting

Host William Morris talks with Sage Christenson and Jon Macy of the Monroe County Tobacco and Smoking Cessation Program about their work to reduce and prevent the use of tobacco products in Monroe County. We discuss the policies, issues and challenges of smoking prevention, including why young people get started, how to stop, and where to get help. In the first segment, Jon discusses the overall charter of the local Smoke Free Bloomington Coalition, including the three principal dimensions of smoking prevention: cessation education, youth prevention and state policy. The second segment looks at the coalition's collaboration with local organizations to reach smokers and those who are at-risk for smoking, and the third segment examines the local smoking cessation education program "Quit Now" - how it works and some emotional success stories, including one man who stopped smoking after 56 years. An insightful conversation about one of the most significant public health issues confronting our state and country.