Great American Smokeout Set for Thursday

Not too late: Quitting smoking at age 35 can add eight years to life expectancy.

Years ago, when our grandfather quit smoking, he would habitually reach into his pocket for his phantom cigarettes. At the time, we didn’t realize the difficulty of quitting smoking, but over the years we’ve seen many people close to us struggle to quit tobacco. Since November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the American Cancer Society (ACS) encourages the 20.6 percent of Americans who smoke to choose Nov. 19, the Great American Smokeout, as the day to kick the nicotine habit.

Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States and is the cause of 87 percent of lung-cancer deaths. “Smokers wishing to quit should seek out support from tobacco-cessation coaches at state quitlines, from friends and family, and should understand the benefits of using medication to decide if it is right for them,” says ACS president Elizabeth T.H. Fontham, M.P.H., Dr.P.H.

According to the ACS, planning to quit with nicotine replacement therapy and knowing how to deal with cravings and tempting situations increases the likelihood of succeeding. Those who quit smoking at age 35 add eight years to life expectancy, while quitting at age 55 adds five years. Even long-term smokers who quit at 65 are expected to live three additional years. For a quitline near you, the society provides a list of Local Smokeout Resources. Microsoft Windows users also can download a desktop Smokeout Countdown Clock — providing daily practical tips for preparing to quit and for the first month of not smoking — and the Craving Stopper memory game as a distraction to get through the need for a cigarette.

Smokeout-related events will occur in cities throughout the country on Nov. 19. For example, at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, there is a “Let’s Go Cold Turkey” awareness event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free smoking-cessation kits, games and a chance to win a free frozen turkey. In the Los Angeles area, events are scheduled for the University of Southern California, Cal State University Northridge, UCLA and Pepperdine University. In Miami, a Tobacco Free Campus Fair will be held at Baptist Hospital of Miami from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

We think it’s important to ensure that many people don’t start smoking and understand how difficult it is to quit smoking. Do you think setting a quit date is an effective way to kick the habit?

Photo credit: Marcin Kirsz

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