Jefferson City, Missouri — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has launched the Show Me Smokefree campaign. Through online and on-site activities, Show Me Smokefree aims to increase access to smoke-free air in all workplaces and public places so Missourians can stay healthy no matter where they work or spend their time.
Smoke-free environments protect people from secondhand smoke and e-cigarettes, prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, and help people quit smoking. Yet only one in three Missourians is protected by smoke-free laws, and some of those laws do not protect employees or customers in casinos, bars, and restaurants. Secondhand smoke is one of the reasons for Missouri’s high rates of cancer, heart attacks, and strokes. Tobacco use and secondhand smoke are the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Missouri. Each year, 1,200 Missourians die from secondhand smoke exposure.(1)
Show Me Smokefree includes on-the-ground campaign efforts designed to engage youth, residents, business owners and key decision makers to work together to improve access to smoke-free air. Interested youth can join Next to Rise and learn how to join other Missouri high school students in advocating for new and improved smoke-free air laws in their communities.
Lexi Hillman, a Next to Rise youth from La Monte High School in Pettis County, said, “The Show Me Smokefree campaign impacted my community by bringing people together. I thought it was so cool that different people were coming together to make the community better for everyone.”
To learn more or to join the movement for more smoke-free air, visit ShowMeSmokefree.com. Show Me Smokefree also has its own Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages with shareable videos, images and other content explaining the importance of updating Missouri’s smoke-free air laws.
