October 14, 2005

As cooler temperatures prompt residents to spend more time indoors, Michigan’s recognition of October as Healthy Lung Month and Home Indoor Air Quality Month represents a good opportunity to ensure the air inside your home is high quality.

“The celebration of these two months represents a great opportunity to take stock of the air quality in the environment around you – at home, at work, and in public,” said Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Michigan Surgeon General. “These issues are both serious public health issues and ignoring indoor air quality can have serious consequences for your lungs.”

Wisdom said more than 1 million Michigan adults and children suffer from lung disease, but there are several common sense action steps citizens can take to improve their overall respiratory health.

· If you smoke, try to quit and don’t quit quitting. Cigarette smoking has a devastating impact on lung health. Smokers and the people around them are much more likely to develop lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, asthma, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Quitting smoking is one of the most important steps a smoke can take to improve their own lung health and that of their loved ones. If you want to quit, call the free Quitline at 1-800-480-QUIT. Already this year, the quit line has received 10,000 calls and helped 5,300 Michiganders to quit smoking. For further support, join the Great American Smoke Out on November 17. For more information, visit http://www.cancer.org

· Avoid secondhand tobacco smoke. Make your home smoke free. Take the smoke-free home pledge, and find out how to protect your family. Call the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 1-866-SMOKE-FREE or visit their web site at www.epa.gov/smokefree. Support smoke-free restaurants and encourage your work site to have a smoke-free policy – visit www.makemiairsmokefree.org.

· Protect your own good health and that of your family. Maintaining good health for you and your family is important in keeping lungs healthy. Make sure that your children’s immunizations are current; encourage good hygiene, healthy eating, regular exercise, and breathing in clear air. Visit www.lungusa.org or www.healthyindoorair.org for more information.