Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time. And a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one. The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout® is an annual event that encourages and offers support to smokers to make a plan to quit smoking or to quit smoking on the day of the event – the third Thursday in November each year. By quitting – even for one day – smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their cancer risk.
Did you know?
More than 34 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world. Smoking causes an estimated 480,000 deaths every year, or about 1 in 5 deaths. And more than 16 million Americans live with a smoking-related disease. Very few people are able to quit smoking on any given attempt without medicines or other help. Smoking-cessation counseling and medicines are proven to help and to improve quit rates. Telephone-based services are a convenient and effective way to provide information and counseling. Because of this, telephone-based cessation programs have quickly become the most successful way to help large populations quit using tobacco, nearly doubling a tobacco user’s chances of quitting for good.
Watch for a communication coming from Human Resources and the Health and Wellness Committee, inviting you to participate in the smokeout (whether you use tobacco or not).
For information visit the Great American Smokeout website.