According to data from Kentucky Health Facts (2014-2016), 36% of adults in Russell County smoke cigarettes. Smoking contributes to many chronic health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory issues. In order to address this, a ten-week Healthy Choices for Every Body program was conducted by the Russell County Cooperative Extension Service SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) assistant for SNAP eligible individuals in collaboration with the Russell County Health Department. The focus included nutritional education and information on smoking cessation led by a local health educator. Extension conducted weekly sessions on topics such as food safety, food resource management, and food preparation. During the program, participants learned how to improve their overall health by increasing their water intake and consuming more fruits and vegetables, which is vital while going through the detox process. 

There were thirteen participants, four men and nine women, ranging in age from thirty to sixty-eight, of those five remain smoke free over nine months. Reports indicate that all (100%) of the participants made positive changes in their diet quality and over three fourths (85%) of participants improved their resource management practices. One participant shared, “I have more energy and food tastes better since I stopped smoking”.