Smokeout has had a major impact

To the editor:

For more than 40 years, the American Cancer Society has hosted the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday of November.

The Great American Smokeout is an opportunity for people who smoke to commit to healthy, smoke-free lives — not just for a day, but year round. The Great American Smokeout provides an opportunity for individuals, community groups, businesses, health care providers and others to encourage people to use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and initiate a smoking cessation plan on the day of the event. The Great American Smokeout event challenges people to stop smoking and helps people learn about the many tools they can use to help them quit and stay quit.

The Great American Smoke-out event has helped dramatically change Americans’ attitudes about smoking. These changes have led to community programs and smoke-free laws that are now saving lives across the country.

Annual Great American Smokeout events began in the 1970s, when smoking and secondhand smoke were common. Because of the many individuals and groups that have let smoke-free advocacy efforts, there have been significant landmarks in the areas of research, policy and environment, such as:

•limiting smoking in restaurants and other public places

•federal smoke-free laws on all domestic flights

•the FDA opening an investigation into the tobacco industry's manipulation of nicotine and targeting children with advertisements

•the passing of strong workplace smoking restrictions, limiting smoking in private workplaces

•the Department of Justice filing suit against cigarette manufacturers, charging them with defrauding the public by lying about smoking risks

And these are just a few examples.

The Great American Smoke-out has really made an impact in the industry and helped public health in a major way. I cannot wait to see the changes that they make for us in the future.

Sydney Haines

Tobacco prevention coordinator

Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition