KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tiara Trotter-Smith proudly celebrates two and a half months of being cigarette-free, attributing her success to determination and support from Agape Recovery's Respire program.
“I feel healthier in many ways, like the way I breathe, my actions, my movements,” Trotter-Smith said. “It was really, really hard. There were days when I tried to quit, and I had to call [Jerome Burk] and say, you know what, it's not working today; I'm going to have to have a cigarette. He kind of stayed on my head."
Jerome Burk, the executive director of Agape Recovery and Trotter-Smith’s mentor, understands the struggles of quitting nicotine, having battled his own addiction.
"I've been addicted to nicotine since I was about 13 years old," Burk said. "I'm 31 now and I quit about 2 years ago."
Agape Recovery, which Burk founded, actively supports individuals looking to quit smoking through various strategies. Burk emphasized key tactics to help combat cravings: Delay, distract, and drink water.
The issue of nicotine addiction is pressing, particularly among youth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1.63 million middle and high school students currently use e-cigarettes, putting them at risk for long-term health effects.
“Nicotine addiction is a pediatric disease," Burk said. The majority of people who get addicted to nicotine are between the ages of 11 and 16. So, they purposely target the youth. The vapes with the bright colors, tasty flavors, and bright lights. That’s not to attract adults, that’s to attract children. And then you just stay on it as an adult.”
Respire provides resources for community members, currently with 285 participants in the program. It is funded by the health department’s REACH program.
To celebrate the achievements of participants like Trotter-Smith, a graduation event will be held Saturday at HJ’s Youth and Community Center from 4 to 7 p.m.
Participants will be entered for a chance to win a $1,000 cash raffle.
The event is family-friendly and will have face painting, bounce houses, games, food, and live music.
To learn more, click here.
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