BOH says “don’t fry”
Press Release
The Town of Fairhaven Board of Health has collaborated with IMPACT Melanoma and the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention to practice safe skin. In response to sun safety awareness, the Fairhaven Employee Wellness Committee has also jumped onboard, as they have partnered with the Fairhaven Health Department to obtain dispensers for public use, taking the active pledge of practicing safe skin.
Melanoma is rising faster than any other cancer with one person every 50 minutes dying from the disease. Studies show that with daily sunscreen protection, the risk of melanoma is preventable. As part of the Practice Safe Skin program, these specially designed dispensers offer sunscreen as an effective preventive measure to help avoid sun over-exposure year round. Each sunscreen dispenser is equipped with four 1,000 mL pouches of hypoallergenic broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen, which is safe for people aged six months and older.
Be on the lookout for a dispenser at any of these locations: Fort Phoenix, Pope Beach, Seaview Avenue, Causeway Road, West Island Town Beach, Pease Boat Ramp, Livesey Park, Cushman Park, Macomber Pimental Field, the start and end points of the Fairhaven Bike Path, Fairhaven Recreation Center and the Fairhaven Department of Public Works building located at 5 Arsene Street.
Please contact the Health Department at (508) 979-4023 ext. 125 for more information.
Quit smoking now
The Town of Fairhaven Board of Health would like all residents, parents, teenagers and school professionals to be aware of the dangers of smoking and vaping usage. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health offers resources and information to support those who are trying to quit smoking, as well as information to support parents and school professionals when the time comes to teach teenagers about tobacco products.
If you’re thinking about quitting, your health insurance plan can help. Through the Affordable Care Act, many public and private plans are required to cover all seven FDA-approved quit-smoking medications. Call the customer service number on the back of your health insurance member card to find out what your benefits are. If you don’t have health insurance, you can still sign up for the new affordable health plans being offered. You can also enroll online to receive four weeks of free nicotine patches by visiting http://www.makesmokinghistory.org/quit-now/
E-cigarettes recently surpassed conventional cigarettes as the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco products. E-cigarettes have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a smoking cessation device.
Please visit www.makesmokinghistory.org for more information, specific questions and resources.
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