Great American Smokeout: Steps Toward a Healthier Lifestyle

The Nursing Division of the Livingston Health Department reminds residents that November 17th is the Great American Smokeout.

This campaign was started by the American Cancer Society in 1977 in California and due to its success has become an annual movement. Every year on the third Thursday in November, people across the globe are encouraged to challenge themselves to quit smoking for 24 hours.

The idea behind this campaign is to bring awareness about the dangers of smoking while simultaneously providing a springboard for people to quit smoking. If you can quit for 24 hours, why not 48 hours, 72 hours, or a month, and so on? It all starts at hour one of day one on November 17th, 2016.

Quitting smoking is no easy task, as smoking is both a mental and physical addiction, but every hour that passes without a cigarette is a step towards a healthier life for a smoker. Tobacco smoking is responsible for 87% of all lung cancer in men and 70% in women.

Death related to tobacco smoking is also one of the most preventable causes of death in both men and women. One out of five deaths in the United States is related to tobacco smoking, and if that isn’t bad enough, approximately 3,400 nonsmokers die each year from lung cancer as a result of secondhand smoke.

Growing up, many of us learned that winners never quit and quitters never win; quitting smoking this is the greatest exception to that rule. Quitting smoking is winning. Even after quitting for just 24 hours, your risk for heart attack starts to reduce. After 48 hours, you will begin to experience regeneration of damaged nerve endings and your sense of smell and taste will begin to return to your pre-smoking “normal.” As soon as two weeks after quitting, your lung function will begin to improve.

With the right mindset and a little planning, quitting for one day may be just the thing you need to quit for life. Talk to your doctor to find out what is right for you; there are many aids you can use to help you quit. Over-the-counter nicotine gums and patches, prescribed medications, and support groups are all available for those who wish to quit.

Being a quitter is being a winner when it comes to smoking!

For additional information contact the Nursing Division of the Livingston Health Department or visit www.cancer.org and www.healthline.com.