Page 42 January 2017 PLAY LOCAL. PLAY BALL. REGISTER online for the 2017 Spring BASEBALL and SOFTBALL Season – Boys & Girls Ages 4-14 LAST WALK-IN REGISTRATION / DOCUMENT UPLOAD DATE at Camelback Christian Church Saturday, JANUARY 7 – 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tryouts for upper divisions will be held Saturday, January 21 and Saturday, January 28 at Ingleside Middle School Practices Begin February 4 – Spring Season Runs Early March through End of May Late fees apply when registering after January 22nd Re gister at ArcadiaLittleLeague.com By Mallory Gleich We’ve all seen the ads on television. A sickly-looking person sitting in a wheelchair. The girl peeling off a part of her cheek or the man pulling out a tooth. The man using an Electrolarynx tool to speak from the hole in his throat. These advertisements can be shocking, but they are all consistent in showing the effects of one of the most preventable killers in the world: smoking tobacco. Almost half a million people die from cigarette smoking every year, in the United States according to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention. In our own state of Arizona, however, there is good news. Smoking in the state has gone down 5 percent in the last five years. No doubt those commercials on television might have had something to do with the recent drop in adult smoking. “Coupled with the increasing price of cigarettes, the aggressive ad campaigns, and the increasing number of smoke-free environments, it only seems logical that these have made an impact on smoking rates,” said Joseph Brewster, an M.D. at North Scottsdale Family Medicine. Along with the non-smoking campaigns we see on television every day, there are a few other things that may have led to the drop in the smoking rate. One of these is the price of cigarettes. Back in the day, cigarettes went for around 50 cents a pack. That may have been quite a while ago, but since then cigarette prices have continued to steadily rise. “For some of my patients, it’s purely how expensive financially it has become. $6 to $7 a pack adds up pretty quickly,” said Paul Babey, another M.D. from North Scottsdale Family Medicine. Not only has smoking become a more expensive habit, but there has also been a major increase in the smoke-free environments around the state. Dr. Bernard Kaminetsky, who is a Medical Director for MDVIP, says that the lowest rates of smoking are in New York and California, because they are considered to be more progressive, with California being the leader in smoke-free areas. “Even though smoking was known to be unhealthy since the 1960s, the smoke-free areas that have been developed recently have made it harder for people to smoke. People have that ‘can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ attitude,” said Dr. Kaminetsky. Another point that Dr. Kaminetsky made is that children these days don’t see smoking as an acceptable behavior. With smoking no longer allowed in bars, restaurants and stadiums, a lot of its appeal has been lost. “Non-smoking has become the norm and the greatest contributor to that is the smoke-free environments,” said Dr. Kaminetsky. Dawn Heim, who has been a smoker on and off for 25 years, says she quit smoking because she felt it had taken control of her life. The first two times she quit, it was because a chest cold made her too sick to smoke. “The third time I quit, I felt like cigarettes had complete control of me. They were everywhere I was, so I decided to quit cold turkey,” Helm said. She has been smoke-free since August 12. There are also a few medications on the market that have helped people quit smoking. These medications vary on each patient, so it’s important to consult with a doctor first. Other ways that people have stopped smoking include interaction, support, self-help books, even so far as behavioral intervention and therapy. “Most smokers know it has deleterious effects on their health, if not by first-hand experience, then by the numerous anti-smoking campaigns or second- or even third-hand experience. Hopefully the rate continues to fall,” said Dr. Brewster. Seeing through the smoke: smoking rate drops 5 percent in AZ

Page 43 January 2017 14 h True Craft Residential reserves the right the change or modify floor plans, features, materials and specifications without prior notice. All dimensions and square footages are approximate. Renderings and floor plans may vary from the actual plans and homes as built. No offer for sale or lease may be made and no offer to purchase or lease may be accepted prior to the issuance of the final Arizona Subdivision Public Report. Prices, plans and features subject to change without notice. SALES AND MARKETING PROVIDED BY ARIZONA BUILDER SALES RE/MAX EXCALIBUR 4 8 0 - 7 7 2 - 3 4 6 4 • 4 4 0 2 N O R T H 3 6 T H S T . P H O E N I X , A Z 8 5 0 1 8 N O V E L L A A T A R C A D I A . C O M Y O U R D R E A M H O M E A W A I T S L U X U R Y T O W N H O M E S F R O M T H E U P P E R $ 4 0 0 ’ S L O C A T E D I N T H E H E A R T O F A R C A D I A