The Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) announced the release of four new tobacco awareness public service announcements (PSAs) Nov. 2 in support of Tobacco-Free Living Month.

The PSAs were developed by NMCPHC and the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Visual Information Directorate to promote tobacco-free living for Sailors and Marines.

According to Dr. Mark Long, NMCPHC public health educator, the PSAs are a convenient medium to share accurate information about the dangers of using tobacco products and effective ways to quit.

The PSAs are intended for general tobacco awareness and education, command indoctrinations/orientations, command internal information networks, and for the Navy surgeon general's Blue "H" Health Promotion and Wellness Award process.

"It is never too late to quit using tobacco and there are many effective and available resources and programs to help, and the NMCPHC tobacco-free living website has many useful resources," said Long.

Long's advice to service members and their families is to encourage those who use tobacco to consider quitting, and urge friends to support their shipmates with quitting and not starting tobacco use.

"As a Navy Public Health physician, I definitely understand the effects of tobacco use from both a health and readiness perspective," said Capt. Todd Wagner, NMCPHC's commanding officer. "The importance of educating our Sailors and Marines about the negative health effects of tobacco use is paramount. At the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, our Health Promotion staff is 100 percent committed to getting the word out Navywide about the dangers of tobacco use and the resources available to help both tobacco users and health care providers. These PSAs will go a long way toward making that happen."

According to the 2014 U.S. Surgeon General's Report on smoking, tobacco harms almost every organ in the body and negatively affects fitness, health, and readiness.

"Counseling and FDA-approved medications increase the likelihood of quitting, and all products are available through your local Health Promotion departments," said Capt. R Shelley Kay-Marriner, NMCPHC director for Population Health.

To view the PSAs, visit NMCPHC online at http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion/tobacco-free-living/Pages/Tobacco-Resources.aspx/.

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