The Great American Smoke Out Quit Smoking Home | New

The Great American Smoke Out is an annual event organized by the American Cancer Society on the third Thursday in November, which encourages smokers to quit or develop a plan.

By raising awareness of the health effects of smoking and promoting resources to stop smoking, many changes have occurred since the 1970s, when this event began, the Monroe County Department of Health said. Smoking is prohibited in workplaces and restaurants, cigarette taxes have increased, cigarette ads have decreased, teens are discouraged from using cigarettes and attitudes towards smoking changed.

Despite these efforts, the American Cancer Society says that one in five American adults still smokes cigarettes. In Monroe County, approximately 17% of adults continue to smoke.

The Ministry of Health says smoking is the leading preventable cause of illness and death in the world. It is estimated that smoking is responsible for 32% of cancer deaths, a statistic that does not include second-hand smoke. In addition, 80% of lung cancer deaths are due to smoking. In addition to cancer, the damage caused by smoke in the lungs can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking also damages the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The Ministry of Health offered the following tips to help quit smoking:

• Create a plan to quit, and once the decision is made, choose a specific day to start.
• Discuss with a doctor ways to stop smoking, such as nicotine replacement therapy, prescription drugs or other methods.
• Find support. Whether it's family, friends, groups of smokers, online smoking cessation groups, tips, self-help books or brochures, any help and encouragement will allow smokers to stop smoking for good. Only about four to seven percent of people can quit smoking without the help of medications, programs, or support.
• When the day of quitting happens, do not smoke at all.
• Avoid people who smoke or situations in which you feel a strong desire to smoke.
• Since smoking is a widespread habit, following normal habits can trigger cravings. Try to change the daily routine to reduce those cravings. For example, eating meals in a different place, trying different foods, or going to different ways to get to work are ways to mix things up.
• When you crave a cigarette, take deep breaths, slowly drink water, do something active to keep your mind busy or change your activity.

While it's hard to quit smoking, there are resources available to help nicotine addicts succeed. The Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line is a free service sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that helps people quit, smoke or smoke. Call 800-784-8669 to talk to a coach about quitting smoking.

For more information on the Great American Smoke Out or to get more resources, visit https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/great-american-smokeout/history-of -the-great-american-smokeout.html.