Make Your New Year’s Resolution to be Tobacco-Free in 2020!

Tobacco use is the most common preventable cause of death. About half of the people who don't quit smoking will die of smoking-related problems. Quitting smoking is important for your health and provides many benefits. Soon after you quit your circulation begins to improve and your blood pressure starts to return to normal. Your sense of smell and taste return and breathing starts to become easier. In the long term, giving up tobacco can help you live longer. Your risk of getting cancer decreases with each year you stay smoke-free.

There are many ways to quit smoking. There are also resources to help you. Family members, friends, and co-workers may be supportive. But to be successful, you must really want to quit.

Most people who have quit smoking were unsuccessful at least once in the past. Try not to view past attempts to quit as failures. See them as learning experiences. It is hard to stop smoking or using smokeless tobacco. But anyone can do it.  

Use these ideas to help you stay committed to quitting:

·         Avoid temptation. Stay away from people and places that tempt you to smoke. Later on you’ll be able to handle these with more confidence.

·         Change your habits. Switch to juices or water instead of alcohol or coffee. Take a different route to work. Take a brisk walk instead of a coffee break.

·         Choose other things for your mouth: Use substitutes you can put in your mouth such as sugarless gum or hard candy, raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, or sunflower seeds.

·         Get active with your hands: Do something to reduce your stress. Exercise or do something that keeps your hands busy, such as needlework or woodworking.

·         Breathe deeply: When you were smoking, you breathed deeply as you inhaled the smoke. When the urge strikes now, breathe deeply and picture your lungs filling with fresh, clean air.

·         Delay: If you feel that you are about to light up, hold off. Tell yourself you must wait at least 10 minutes. Often this simple trick will allow you to move beyond the strong urge to smoke.

Reward yourself. What you’re doing is not easy, so you deserve a reward. Put the money you would have spent on tobacco in a jar every day and then buy yourself a weekly treat or save the money for a major purchase.

Quitline Iowa has trained coaches that are here to listen and give you the support you need.  The Quitline Iowa coach will help you set a quit date and create a quit plan that works for you!

You may also refer a friend, a student, or a family member to this service.

Quitline Iowa: 1-800-Quit-Now (1-800-784-8669)

How Are You Getting Home this New Year’s Eve? We Urge Drivers: Make a Sober Plan

Drunk driving has become a national epidemic. Each year, drunk-driving crashes kill more than 10,000 people in America. The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office and SAFE Coalition are working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this holiday season, to reach out to all drivers with an important message about this deadly, preventable crime because Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Let’s say you go to a New Year’s party, you stay for a few hours and have a few drinks. When it’s time to go, you think to yourself, “I’m fine to drive. I’ve only had a few drinks, and I barely feel buzzed.” You get in your car and drive toward home.  This act places you at risk of facing the consequences of drunk driving.  Buzzed driving places you and others on the road in danger of a crash; or worse, death.   Designate a sober driver.

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too realistic. Many people wrongly believe there’s a magic number of drinks or hours that determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC).  But it’s different for every person. Many factors go into the effect alcohol has on your body. Everywhere in our country, it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. A major misconception is that you have to be stumbling around drunk to be over that limit. For many people, it doesn’t take much alcohol to be too impaired for driving. NHTSA and the SAFE Coalition are hoping to change the way people think about drinking and driving, and help everyone realize that there’s no safe amount of alcohol for any driver.

Drivers convicted of DUI have many excuses, but the reality they all have in common is this: they didn’t plan ahead.  Designating a sober driver ahead of time is the only fool-proof way to avoid the dangers of drunk driving. If you wait until you’ve been drinking to gauge your level of impairment, it’s already too late.  You might tell yourself and others that you’re “okay to drive” when you’re not. Even one drink can impair your judgment and reaction time enough to cause you to overestimate your own abilities as a driver.

So next time you’re going to drink, do us all a favor and make a plan. Some simple ideas: leave your keys at home or give them to a friend; designate a sober driver who isn’t drinking at all; tell others your intentions about driving and stick to the plan; and most importantly—once you’ve had anything to drink, do not drive. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so make the choice: are you drinking tonight or are you driving?

Drunk driving is never the right choice, no matter what. Even if you didn’t plan ahead, there’s always another way home. You could call a friend or family member to pick you up, and if you’re worried about leaving your car somewhere overnight, think about the alternative: a DUI costs about $10,000.

Please remember to stay safe by driving sober or by designating a sober driver this New Year’s Eve.

Drive Merry, Bright, and Sober This Holiday Season - Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

This holiday season, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office and SAFE Coalition are teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to remind all drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving. We’ll be working together to remind everyone of the importance of planning a sober ride home before heading out to enjoy the holiday festivities and en route to seasonal travel destinations. This holiday season, and every day, remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

The holidays are a special time for every community, and it’s more important than ever for us to stress the importance of safe driving habits. We know everyone is rushing around, finishing those last-minute errands and attending various holiday parties. But before you ever head out to the festivities, make sure you plan a sober ride home, because driving drunk should never be an option. Help us spread the message: Even one drink is one drink too many. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

According to NHTSA, 37,133 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017, and 29% (10,874) of those fatalities occurred in crashes during which a driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08. In fact, 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December 2017 alone. The holidays prove to be extra dangerous to drivers, as more people — drivers and pedestrians alike — are out on the roads.

Drunk driving isn’t the only risk on the road: Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem, for men and for women alike. If drivers are impaired by any substance — alcohol or other drugs — they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is illegal in all states to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs. Remember: Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It’s that simple.

Drinking and driving should never be combined. It’s essential to plan a sober ride in advance if the holiday celebration will include alcohol. The alternative could change your life, not to mention the lives of your passengers, of pedestrians, or of other drivers and passengers nearby.

This holiday season, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, SAFE Coalition and NHTSA urge drivers to designate a sober driver before heading out for the evening. If you plan on drinking, plan on not driving.

Party with a Plan: First and foremost: Plan ahead. Be honest with yourself: You know whether you’ll be drinking. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously — your friends are relying on you.

·         Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to have someone pick you up.

·         If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.

·         Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

For more information about the Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving campaign, visit https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/buzzed-driving-drunk-driving/holiday-season.

Tips for Party Givers

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition would like to encourage you to avoid making alcohol the main focus of social events this holiday season. Entertain guests with music, dancing, games, food, and lively conversation.  Did you know that one in three adults prefers a nonalcoholic beverage? Make sure to offer plenty of nonalcoholic choices such as sparkling water, fancy juice drinks, soft drinks, and bottled drinking water.  Also, provide guests with nutritious and appealing foods to slow the effects of alcohol. High protein and carbohydrate foods like cheese and meats are especially good. They stay in the stomach much longer, which slows the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol. Avoid salty foods, which encourage people to drink more.

Require bartenders to measure the correct amount of liquor into drinks (no doubles), and instruct them not to serve anyone who appears to be impaired or underage. Have the bartender check the ID of anyone who appears to be under the age of 30 (no ID, no alcohol).  Stop serving drinks at least 1 hour before the end of the event.  Instead, serve coffee, non-alcoholic beverages, and desserts at that time.

Your responsibility as a host is even more important when the party is over. Be prepared to offer your guests alternate forms of transportation, such as: Ask someone who was not drinking to drive a guest home; Call someone to come and drive them home; Offer your place to spend the night; If the person insists on driving despite his or her obvious intoxication, take the keys, ask for help from other guests, or temporarily disable the car; If all else fails, say you will call the police (and do so).

The following non-alcoholic drink recipes are courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Join Together, a national resource center for communities working to reduce substance abuse.  Many of these unique drinks can add “flavor” to your party by giving your guests healthy, tasty alternatives to alcoholic beverages. Enjoy!

Citrus Collins

Fill a 10–12 oz. glass with ice cubes

2 oz. orange juice

1 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. flavored syrup

Fill with club soda. Garnish with an orange slice or a cherry.

Mai Tai

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup club soda

1 tbsp. cream of coconut

1 tbsp. grenadine syrup

In a shaker or tall glass, combine ingredients; shake or stir to blend.  Add crushed ice.

Lemon-Strawberry Punch

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 pkg. frozen sliced strawberries

6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate

1-quart carbonated water

1-quart ginger ale

Sliced bananas

Sliced oranges or lemons

Combine frozen lemonade, strawberries (half-thawed with juice), and orange juice. Place in a punchbowl with ice. Just before serving, add carbonated water and ginger ale. Garnish with thin slices of orange, lemon, or banana. Serves 20.

Holiday Delight

Blend the following ingredients in a mixer:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup frozen strawberries

1/4 cup cranapple juice

1/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 banana

Pour into a tall glass.

Viennese Coffee

Combine:

1/4 cup whipped cream

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat until stiff.  Pour 3 cups of very strong coffee (decaffeinated is fine) into four cups. Float whipped cream mixture on top. Garnish with 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel. Use cinnamon sticks in each cup as servers.

#Be There to Help Prevent Suicide

Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities.  Suicide is more than a mental health concern.  A recent CDC study (https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/suicide/index.html) showed that a range of factors contribute to suicide among those with and without known mental health conditions. Everyone can help prevent suicide by knowing the warning signs and where to get help.  Suicide is a public health problem because of its far-reaching effects:

·         Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.

·         One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes.

·         In 2017, 10.6 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million made a plan, and 1.4 million attempted suicide.

·         People who have experienced violence, including child abuse, bullying, or sexual violence are at higher risk for suicide.

·         Suicide is a leading cause of death for Americans ages 10 to 64. 

Suicide prevention is everyone’s business. You can #BeThere and #BeThe1To help a friend, loved one, or coworker. Everyone can learn the warning signs and how to get help.  Individual, relationship, community, and societal factors may influence the risk of suicide. Know the suicide warning signs including:

·         Feeling like a burden

·         Being isolated

·         Increased anxiety

·         Feeling trapped or in unbearable pain

·         Increased substance use

·         Looking for a way to access lethal means

·         Increased anger or rage

·         Extreme mood swings

·         Expressing hopelessness

·         Sleeping too little or too much

·         Talking or posting about wanting to die

·         Making plans for suicide

CDC has developed a technical package, Preventing Suicide: A Technical Package of Policy, Programs, and Practices that provides the best available evidence for suicide prevention. Also available in Spanish.  The technical package informs a comprehensive, multi-level and multi-sectoral approach within communities and states.  Learn more about how to #BeThere

Safeguard the people in your life from the risk of suicide and support them:

·         Ask.

·         Keep them safe.

·         Be there.

·         Help them connect. You can start with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.

·         Follow up.

Find out how these actions can save a life by visiting www.BeThe1To.com.

Anyone can play a part in preventing suicide!

Information from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/be-there-prevent-suicide/index.html

Great American Smoke-out 2019

By: Kelsey Sample – Youth Leadership Council (YLC)

November 21, 2019, is the Great American Smoke-out. The American Cancer Society has hosted the Great American Smoke-out for 40 years. This day is an opportunity for those who smoke to commit to living healthy, smoke-free lives - not just for a day, but year-round. This date also encourages people to use the date to make a plan to quit. The Great American Smoke-out event challenges people to stop smoking and helps people learn about the many tools they can use to help them quit and stay smoke-free.

More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases the risk of tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Smoking not only affects the smoker, but it also affects their loved ones and anyone who comes into contact with them. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer. Secondhand smoke harms both children and adults. In children, secondhand smoke causes several health effects such as ear infections, more frequent and severe asthma attacks, respiratory system illnesses (coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath), respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia) and a greater risk for SIDS. In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke can cause heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke. Separating smokers from non-smokers, opening windows, or using air filters does not prevent people from breathing secondhand smoke. Most exposure to secondhand smoke comes from homes, workplaces, public places, as well as cars and other vehicles. There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure; even brief exposure can be harmful to health. Since 1964, approximately 2,500,000 nonsmokers have died from health problems caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. If you don’t want to quit for yourself quit so your family and those around you can lead healthy lives.

Quitting is hard. Addiction to nicotine in cigarettes is one of the strongest and most deadly addictions one can have. Quitting takes commitment and starts with a plan, often takes more than one quit attempt, and requires a lot of support. The American Cancer Society can tell you about the steps you can take to quit smoking and provide quit-smoking programs, resources, and support that can increase your chances of quitting successfully. To learn about the available tools, call them at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org/smoke-out. Research shows that people who smoke are most successful in their efforts to stop smoking when they have support, such as Telephone quitlines, American Cancer Society Fresh Start Program, Nicotine Anonymous meetings, Self-help books and materials, Smoking counselors or coaches, Encouragement and support from friends and family members.  Use this day as your opportunity to quit tobacco use. And start leading a healthier lifestyle for you and your loved ones.

For more information on the YLC organization or any of their activities, you may contact the SAFE Coalition at safe.coalition@van-burencsd.org or 319-293-3334 ext. 1017.

Commit to Sober Driving This Thanksgiving Holiday: #BoycottBlackoutWednesday

Thanksgiving is a holiday that centers on gratitude, family and friends, and a lot of food. A popular trend during the Thanksgiving holiday, “Blackout Wednesday” occurs on the Eve of Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, the trend encourages the heavy consumption of alcohol. To help keep Americans safe on the streets, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is teaming up with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office and SAFE Coalition to spread the message that drunk driving is dangerous and illegal, period. In fact, it is illegal in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC. If you are under the influence of any impairing substance, hand the keys to a sober friend instead of driving yourself home.

This Thanksgiving Eve, on November 27, NHTSA and its partners are conducting a social media blitz featuring the hashtag #BoycottBlackoutWednesday to help deliver lifesaving messages into the public conversation and encourage positive actions that can help reduce impaired driving on the roadways.

Drunk driving is a real threat to our community every day, and that threat increases during holidays like Thanksgiving. Blackout Wednesday is a dangerous trend. Driving under the influence is deadly and illegal, and no one should ever take that risk.

Drunk-driving-related crashes spike during the Thanksgiving holiday season. According to NHTSA, from 2013 to 2017, more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. Wednesday to 5:59 a.m. Monday), making it one of the deadliest holidays on our roadways. In fact, during 2017, more than one out of every three traffic fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday period involved an alcohol-impaired driver. If you know you’re headed out for a night of drinking, make sure you plan for a sober ride home. It is never safe to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while drunk or otherwise impaired. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

If you’re planning to head out to the bar or to parties during the Thanksgiving holiday, make sure you plan for a sober ride home. Don’t leave your house without a plan on how to get home safely — once you start drinking you likely won’t make good choices. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a safe night out.

·         Remember that it is never okay to drive impaired. Whether you’ve had one alcoholic beverage, an impairing substance, or both, designate a sober driver.

·         If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.

·         Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

By working together, we can save lives and help keep America’s roadways safe. Please join us in sharing the lifesaving message Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, and use the hashtag #BoycottBlackoutWednesday during the holiday weekend.

For more information, please visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/buzzed-driving-drunk-driving/thanksgiving-eve.

Working Together to Make Van Buren County SAFE

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition, through funding from the Iowa Partnerships for Success Grant, is working to combat underage drinking. Residents may not realize that preventing alcohol abuse begins with effective policies and procedures. “It’s common to think of law enforcement as the primary way to stop teen drinking through arrests and citations,” said Kris Rankin, Van Buren County’s Iowa Partnerships for Success Coordinator. “It is clear that law enforcement is a vital part of the network that is working to prevent and stop underage drinking and youth binge drinking; however, actions taken at the city and private facility level are also key to creating a healthy and safe environment for teens and adults.”

A good example of this is Keosauqua’s Band Shell Rental Policy that requires adult supervision of events with participants under 21 years of age, that no alcohol be provided to anyone under the age of 21 at an event, a higher deposit for events with alcohol being served or sold at them, that alcohol be consumed in a fenced portion of the property where participants under the age of 21 are not allowed, and if cash bars are used, they must provide proof of dram shop insurance and have a valid liquor sales license. 

The SAFE Coalition is available to work with residents, organizations and community leaders to prevent underage drinking and to help develop appropriate policies for their location. The coalition has worked with the Douds Community Center, the Douds Community Club Grounds, the Lodge at Windy Ridge, and the Keosauqua Senior Center to develop new written policies for their private facilities.  They have all now implemented new written alcohol restriction policies for their facilities.  The coalition has also been working with the City of Birmingham, City of Bonaparte and City of Farmington to develop alcohol restriction policies for their Public Places.  Residents are encouraged to learn about and advocate for strong alcohol-related policies.

The SAFE Coalition and Sieda Community Action offer free Merchant Alcohol Training where servers are trained in the best practices of alcohol service to keep alcohol out of the hands of the youth in the county.  The SAFE Coalition also has ID Scanners that can be utilized during any event in the Van Buren County area. 

The SAFE The coalition received the Iowa Partnerships for Success Grant in February 2015 to address underage drinking and underage binge drinking in Van Buren County.  The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition’s Partnership for Success project is funded by the Iowa Department of Public Health, through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For more information on underage drinking, visit http://www.whatdoyouthrowaway.org/ or contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-3334 ext. 1017 or safe.coalition@van-burencsd.org. 

Spread the Word to Every Ghoul and Goblin: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

Each year, millions of children and adults alike celebrate Halloween, a holiday known for its sweet treats and spooky parties. Leave the dangerous driving for the witches on brooms, and commit to sober driving Halloween night and every night. To help spread the message that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is teaming up with the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office and SAFE Coalition to remind everyone of the dangers of drunk driving. Halloween poses an especially dangerous threat to pedestrians, as more people are out at night on the hunt for candy. If your night involves alcohol, plan for a sober ride home. Remember: It’s never safe to drink and drive.

This year, Halloween falls on a Thursday, so we’re certain to see extra parties throughout the weekend, and every single partygoer should plan their sober ride home in advance.  Even one drink can impair judgment. You should never put yourself, or others, at risk because you made the selfish choice to drink and drive. For most, even one drink can be one too many. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Between 2013 and 2017, there were 158 drunk-driving fatalities on Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31 – 5:59 a.m. November 1). According to NHTSA, 42% of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes on Halloween night from 2013 to 2017 were in crashes involving a drunk driver. Younger drivers are most at risk: Even though it is illegal to consume alcohol under age 21, those under the age of 21 had the highest percentage (45%) of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night in 2017.

We want our community to have a fun night out on Halloween, but to also stay safe and make responsible choices. In today’s world, there are many options available for drivers to help them get home safely if they have been drinking. We expect drivers to refrain from driving after drinking.

It is illegal everywhere in America to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Even still, thousands die each year in drunk-driving-related crashes. In 2017, there were 10,874 people killed in drunk-driving crashes. And the costs can be financial, too: If you’re caught drinking and driving, you could face jail time, lose your driver’s license and your vehicle, and pay up to $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, car towing and repairs, higher insurance rates, and lost wages.

Drunk driving isn’t the only risk on the road: Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem on our nation’s roads, for men and for women. If drivers are impaired by any substance — alcohol or drugs — they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is illegal in all states to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs. Across the country, some states are starting to loosen restrictions on marijuana, specifically. Remember: Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It’s that simple.

If you plan to head out for a night of Halloween partying, follow these simple tips for a safe and happy evening:

·         Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or call someone for a ride.

·         If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office

·         Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

Always remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.