October marks National Healthy Lung Month. This month is a time to raise awareness about respiratory diseases and emphasize how our behaviors, especially smoking, affect the health of our lungs.
Lungs are the vital organs that bring oxygen into our bodies, remove carbon dioxide, and play a central role in overall health. Yet respiratory diseases remain widespread: globally, for example, about 65 million people have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and around 3 million die of it each year. In the U.S., smoking is still the leading preventable cause of lung disease, with massive health and economic consequences.
Smoking and Lung Health
In America, cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke cause more than 490,000 deaths each year, accounting for nearly 1 in 5 deaths. According to the American Lung Association, smoking is directly responsible for about 90% of lung cancer deaths and about 80% of COPD deaths.
To understand the full effects of smoking on your lung health, watch this video from the American Lung Association (ALA).
Smoking Among Youth
The Surgeon General reports that e-cigarette use among youth is becoming a public health concern and urges that steps must be taken to discourage the use of e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products among youth and have been for several years now, according to the ALA. The 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that more than 1.6 million middle and high school students currently use e-cigarettes, with more than 1 in 4 using them daily.
Vaping and E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes have been sold in the U.S. for about a decade and have already made a negative impact. Vaping and e-cigarettes can be seen as more appealing to use than tobacco cigarettes due to flavors of mint, candy, chocolate, and fruits. Vaping can be more discreet than cigarettes and can be easier to smoke at school and work due to the lack of noticeable smell, and the difference in puffs compared to cigarettes. Although e-cigs and vapes may taste better than cigarettes, they are just as harmful.
E-cigarettes and vapes were initially introduced to the population as a stepping stone to stop smoking completely, but they are now seen as an alternative to cigarette smoking.
Healthy Lung Month is a reminder that our lungs matter — every breath counts. Smoking remains a dominant threat to lung health, with hundreds of thousands of deaths annually linked to tobacco use and exposure. Young adulthood is a critical window for prevention: many lifelong smokers begin before age 21, and early product use (including e-cigarettes) remains non-trivial.
How AFSPA Can Help
AFSPA offers three programs under the Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) to help you quit smoking.
The Tobacco Cessation Program covers up to two quit attempts per member per calendar year. Quit attempts include proactive telephone counseling and up to four tobacco cessation counseling sessions of at least 30 minutes each in each quit attempt.
Physician-prescribed OTC and prescription drugs approved by the FDA to treat tobacco dependence may be obtained through the Tobacco Cessation Program at no charge. For more details, please see Section 5(f) of your Official Plan Brochure.
To enroll, contact a Lifestyle and Condition Health Coach (LCC) at 1-866-533-1410. LCC Coaches are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET. You may also enroll online at www.myactivehealth.com/FSBP. Participation in this program is voluntary and is available at no cost to members.
Successful completion of this program earns you a Healthy Action $75 wellness incentive.
The Digital Coach Program uses a member’s health risk assessment to help create a personalized plan for successful behavior change. Members can engage and participate through personalized messaging with tools and resources to help track their progress and stay on the path to wellness.
To enroll:
*Completion of the digital coaching program can earn you up to $150 in Healthy Action Incentives in FSBP‘s Simple Steps to Living Well Together Program. Reach level 3 to earn $75 and level 4 to earn an additional $75.
The Lifestyle and Condition Health Coaching program uses a holistic approach to help you and your covered dependents achieve your best health. Our LCC Health Coach will provide guidance, support, and resources to help you overcome obstacles that may be keeping you from realizing optimal health.
To enroll in a program, contact a LCC Health Coach at 1-866-533-1410. LCC Coaches are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET. You may also enroll online at www.myactivehealth.com/FSBP. Participation in this program is voluntary and is available at no cost to members.
Note: See the official Plan Brochure under Section 5(a), Educational classes and programs for more information.
*Completion of this program can earn you up to $150 in Healthy Action Incentives in FSBP‘s Simple Steps to Living Well Together Program.
