The Great American Smokeout

Big Bear Lake, CA, November 14, 2012, 6am – The American Cancer Society’s 37th Great American Smokeout on November 15 can help smokers make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. Tobacco use accounts for at least 30 percent of all cancer deaths and 80 percent of lung cancer deaths. In the United States, tobacco use is responsible for nearly 20% of deaths, or about 443,000 premature deaths each year. Smokers who quit, regardless of age, live longer than people who continue to smoke. In just 20 minutes after quitting smoking, heart rate and blood pressure drop, and in about 1 to 9 months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease. The first Great American Smokeout was in 1976 as a way to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for a day. The Great American Smokeout encourages smokers to commit to making a long-term plan to quit smoking for good. At the American Cancer Society website you can get tips and tools to help you quit smoking for good.