Great American Smokeout
November is the month for lung cancer awareness and the 16th marks the National American Smokeout!
The National American Smokeout may sound like a barbecue but it’s a little more serious than that. This day marks a time for any of the 36.5 million American smokers to make an effort to quit. Tobacco use has declined rapidly in the states over the past decades but it still remains the largest cause of premature death in the world.
I really don’t need to tell you that smoking will kill you, you’ve already heard it all about bronchitis, heart disease, lung cancer and all the other nasty side effects. You’ve also heard that quitting is hard, I’ve smoked for four years and today marks one week I’ve been cigarette free. It’s extremely difficult but the cool thing about the Great American Smokeout is that it highlights all the support options for those who are quitting. There are a number of apps, help-lines, websites, and other resources that can increase the success rate of quitting.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the benefits of quitting start the day you stop. Within only a day your blood pressure and heart rate begin to drop to normal, carbon monoxide in the blood decreases to that of a non-smoker, and food begins to taste better.
The benefits only get better as more time passes. So, if you’ve ever thought about quitting, or know someone you’d like to help, The Great American Smokeout day may be your day.
You can visit the American Cancer Society for more information as well as quizzes, helplines, and more.
Intern Grant
