Collier: Tobacco use is the most significant cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the world; causing more deaths than HIV, automobile accidents, illegal drug abuse, alcohol abuse, homicide and suicide combined. In Florida, 1,300 people lose their lives every year as a direct result of tobacco use. Despite increasing awareness of the risks involved with tobacco use, the tobacco industry continues to attract significant numbers of young people to a lifetime of addiction through deceptive marketing and products developed with teens in mind. As a partner of Tobacco Free Collier, you can make a difference.

Tobacco Free Collier depends on its partners to help set and achieve goals. Partners help create awareness about tobacco issues, support tobacco control legislation and take initiative to make our community a healthy place to reside. Membership is free and open to any person who lives, works or conducts business in Collier County and supports the mission of the partnership: to develop and advocate for policies which reduce the use and effects of tobacco in Collier County. If you would like to become a Tobacco Free Collier partner, or have a suggestion of someone who might, please contact us at (239) 252-6852. Additional information about our partnership can be found at https://tobaccofreeflorida.com/county/collier/.

The partnership collaborates with key partners and stakeholders to keep the community informed on the latest developments in tobacco control, as well as the current impact of tobacco on our community. The partnership focuses on initiatives intended to prevent the initiation of tobacco use among local youth; reduce involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke among Collier County residents; assist workplaces with tobacco-free policy implementation and employee access to cessation benefits; and connect community members with free cessation resources.

The Partnership meets bi-monthly. Meetings are held at the office of the Florida Department of Health in Collier County (Bldg. H, on the campus of Collier County Government Complex: 3339 E. Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112). The next partnership meeting will take place at 4:00pm on Wednesday, May 27th.

ABOUT TOBACCO FREE FLORIDA
Tobacco Free Florida is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund. Tobacco Free Florida is managed by the Florida Department of Health, specifically the Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida.

Smokers and smokeless tobacco users interested in quitting are encouraged to use one of the 3 Free & Easy Ways to Quit. To learn about Tobacco Free Florida and the state’s free cessation resources, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.