CLEVELAND — Food insecurity and other social needs are tied to a higher prevalence of smoking, according to research.
Food pantries aim to help people stay healthy by offering nutritious foods, but some are hoping to add another way: helping people quit smoking.
Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Food Bank and the Cleveland Department of Public Health have joined forces to help those who want to quit.
Ricky Howell volunteers at the food bank. He helps people pick healthy food. He started smoking when he was 17, and his mom later got lung cancer.
“I quit smoking in 2002. I feel so much better,” Howell, who is now in his 50s, said.
“While we have this program available, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, what we know from research is that the people who want to quit don’t know about this,” said Jin Kim-Mozeleski, researcher with Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods at CWRU.
“What is really cool about this project is that we’re working with the community members, the actual stakeholders…people who are leaders of food pantries, work at food pantries, volunteer at food pantries, and are patrons of food pantries to develop this together,” Kim-Mozeleski said.
She said, right now, most people find out about the program through their doctor, but she wants it to be at a place where it’s more accessible, and food pantries are a place people go on a regular basis.
“We’re hearing from the community, ‘This is how it works in doctors’ offices,’ but you tell us how you think this would work,” Kim-Mozeleski said.
The anti-smoking program helps people quit, not just cigarettes, but any tobacco product.
Kim-Mozeleski said food pantries were chosen because people trust them.
She adds there’s a high overlap in tobacco use and social needs such as food or transportation insecurity.
Howell said people have to want to quit smoking.
“When you smoke, you not only hurt yourself, you hurt your loved ones also,” he said.
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