Join Millions and Go Smoke Free! Great American Smokeout--November 19, 2009
On November 19, challenge yourself and jumpstart a healthier life by taking part in the Great American Smokeout. Quit smoking for twenty-four hours and it could be the first day of a healthier, tobacco free life.
Why is the Great American Smokeout Important?
Nearly 3 out of 4 smokers say they want to quit. If you are one of the millions who want to quit, join the Great American Smokeout on November 19th. Do the most important thing you can for your health or for someone you love. Quit for one day. Just one day can turn into a lifetime, because the ultimate goal is to stop using tobacco permanently and begin a healthier life.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Every year, more than 440,000 Americans die prematurely due to smoking and 38,000 non-smokers in the U.S. die from inhaling cigarette smoke. Yet, there are still 46 million (20.6%) adults in the United States who are current smokers and another 125 million children and adults who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
How Can I Quit?
Although it can be tough, you can quit. Smokers who use proven interventions, such as assistance from a healthcare provider, FDA-approved medications, and behavioral counseling, greatly increase their likelihood of quitting for good.
Smokers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and certain U.S. territories who want free help to quit can access 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) for telephone counseling or referrals.
More resources for quitting are available at the bottom of the page.
History of the Great American Smokeout
The Great American Smokeout grew out of a small-town event in Massachusetts in 1971, when high-school guidance counselor Arthur Mullaney asked people to give up cigarettes for one day and donate the money they would otherwise have spent on cigarettes to a college scholarship fund.
In 1974, Lynn Smith, editor of Minnesota's Monticello Times, organized the state's first observance of "D-Day," or "Don't Smoke Day." Starting in November, 1976, the California Division of the American Cancer Society (ACS) adopted the idea and ultimately designated the event the Great American Smokeout, successfully convincing nearly a million smokers to quit for one day in the event's first year. Soon the event went nationwide under the sponsorship of ACS.
The Great American Smokeout is also a time to highlight some of the other proven interventions that increase smoking cessation: establishing smoke-free environments in homes, workplaces and restaurants; increasing the price of cigarettes; and mass media campaigns to inform and motivate tobacco users to quit.
More Information
- The Great American Smokeout Challenge: American Cancer Society
By telephone: 1-800-227-2345 - Advice on how to quit smoking: www.smokefree.gov
- Quit smoking resources
- CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 12 November 2009 / 57(45). (this will have to be updated, once we have it)
- Health e-cards related to smoking
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