The American Heart Association created a series of Hard Hats with Heart Toolbox Talks with cardiovascular health tips and resources specifically for the construction industry to keep the workforce healthy. This weeks Toolbox Talk discusses tips and benefits to quitting smoking and vaping.
Dangers of smoking and vaping
While you may know that tobacco use or vaping causes cancer, you may not know that it is linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases. In fact, it is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and 1/3 of deaths from heart disease are caused by smoking.
Five steps to quit smoking and vaping
- Set a quit date within the next 7 days.
- Choose a method: cold turkey or gradually by reducing the number of times you use tobacco or vape.
- Talk with your doctor and decide if you need medicine to help you successfully quit.
- Prepare for your quit day by planning how to deal with cravings and urges.
- Quit for good on your quit day
Quitting tobacco and vaping is an important element of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 – the key measures for improving cardiovascular health.
