The Facts on Smoking & HIV

The DC Center has released a new fact sheet on Smoking and HIV/AIDS. The fact sheet is available at www.OutToQuit.org. You can also click here to download the fact sheet. The following is the summary statement from the fact sheet:

The DC Department of Health estimates that one in twenty DC residents is living with HIV or AIDS. That number is even higher among older District residents and other at-risk populations.

With proper treatment, many people living with HIV/AIDS in the District are living longer, more productive lives, but smoking poses a great threat to their long-term health and well-being.

We’ve known for a long time how dangerous smoking and second hand smoke are for the entire community. The American Cancer Society reports that “each year about 438,000 people in the United States die from illnesses related to cigarette smoking. Cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined.”

The impact of smoking is far greater, however, for people living with HIV/AIDS. Smoking weakens the immune system, and makes it even harder to fight off opportunistic infections associated with HIV. Smoking also increases the risk of HIV-associated malignancies and other cancers found among people living with HIV/AIDS. Further, HIV positive individuals who are at greater risk for heart disease because of lypodystrophy, significantly compound that risk by smoking.
Smoking cessation services are a crucial component of long term HIV/AIDS care. Residents of the District of Columbia can access free support to quit smoking by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW. DC residents who call this number can get free smoking cessation aids like nicotine gum or patches.

Want to get all the facts? download the fact sheet here.