The Great American Smoke Out

According to the CDC, almost 45 million Americans are smokers. And each year, 440,000 people in the US will die of an illness related to cigarette smoking—killing more Americans than homicide, car accidents, suicide, alcohol, AIDS, and illegal drugs combined.

Cancer can affect anyone from any community, but there are things you can do to reduce your risk, and quitting smoking is an obvious one. Each year, on the third Thursday of November, the American Cancer Society (ACS) promotes the Great American Smoke Out. This initiative challenges Americans to smoke less or quit for even one day, with the goal of raising awareness of the dangers of smoking and effective ways of quitting for good.

So what you can you do to quit, or to help someone you love stop smoking? Knowing why you should stop sometimes isn’t enough, but the ACS offers a few tips on how you can do it:

• Make the decision to quit. Friends and family want you to quit, successfully doing so requires real commitment from you.
• Setting a quit date and choosing a quit plan. Tell your family & friends you are quitting and get rid of all cigarettes & ashtrays. Stay active and avoid situations where the urge to smoke is strong.
• Dealing with withdrawal. It will take time to unlink certain activities from smoking, try to think of alternatives and exercises that help you avoid temptation.

Check out the American Cancer Society’s website to find out more about the Great American Smoke Out, and how you or someone you love who smokes can get started on stopping.