The Great American Smokeout Challenge
Whether you’re a long-time smoker or you know somebody that recently started smoking, quitting is never easy. But the founders of the Great American Smokeout know that you or somebody you know can succeed if you have the right plan. That’s why, together with the American Cancer Society, The Great American Smokeout continues its legacy of providing free resources to help smokers quit for at least one day and to encourage all smokers to commit to a long-term plan to quit for good. They don’t just tell you why to quit; they tell you how to quit. This year’s Great American Smokeout Challenge will be held on Thursday, November 19, 2009.
CareFocus Companion Services encourages healthy living by offering the following advice, tips and resources:
Why You Should Quit Now –– According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use causes more than five million deaths per year worldwide. In addition, on average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers; cigarette smoking is the single, largest, and most preventable cause of disease and premature death in America; and for every one person who dies from a smoking-related disease, twenty more people suffer with at least one serious illness from smoking.
Reasons to Quit –– A CDC survey from 2007 revealed that approximately 40 percent of smokers try to quit each year, but don’t succeed because nicotine is so addictive. Secondhand smoke is a major problem, too, which results in an estimated 35,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers who live with smokers.
Over time, the health benefits of quitting, as compiled by the American Cancer Society and US Surgeon General Reports, are quite remarkable:
– 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
– 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
– 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
– 1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
– 1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
– 5 to 15 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
Free Resources To Help –– Quitting is difficult to do, so the people behind the Great American Smokeout Challenge recommend that you don’t do it alone. Anyone planning to quit can call the American Cancer Society’s Quitline® at 1-800-227-2345 and speak with a trained counselor. During that call, you can receive free confidential counseling and hints about how to cut back to eventually quit.
Tips on Quitting –– Maybe you or your loved one has tried to quit smoking. That’s why quitting smoking permanently is so difficult for so many people. Because this is the 33rd annual Great American Smokeout Challenge, the American Cancer Society has compiled many ways to help you quit.
– Plan the day you’re going to give up smoking, your Quit Day, within the next month
– Choose a Quit Plan
– Begin dealing with both physical and psychological withdrawals
– Stay quit, this means not even one puff. And avoid alcohol which tends to lower your chance of success
The Smokeout Challenge Website has additional tools and tips to help you quit smoking.
Products To Help You Quit –– Some products that people have used to help them quit include smoking-cessation patches, nicotine gum and lozenges, pills, and other staged products that gradually reduce the amount of nicotine in your system, making it easier to withdraw from the nicotine addiction. It’s important to remember to consult with your Physician for the specific treatment that may be right for you.
If you or your loved one is a smoker that wants to stay healthy and maintain optimum health throughout the year, take advantage of over three decades of success by joining the Great American Smokeout Challenge. For more information call 1-800-227-2345 or visit their Web site.