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25th Anniversary of
the Great American Smokeout
Helping Smokers Quit
Twenty-five years ago, the American
Cancer Society started the Great American Smokeout as an annual
day to spotlight the dangers of smoking and challenge people to
stop using tobacco. On this anniversary milestone, the Society
renews its pledge to conquer lung cancer, help smokers make the
important decision to quit, and support them in their efforts.
The idea for the Great American
Smokeout grew out of a 1971 event, when Massachusetts resident
Arthur P. Mullaney asked people to give up smoking for a day and
donate the money they would have spent on cigarettes to a local
high school. Then, in 1974, Lynn R. Smith, editor of the
Monticello Times in Minnesota, spearheaded the state’s first
D-Day, or Don’t Smoke Day.
The idea caught on, and on November 18,
1976, the California Division of the American Cancer Society
successfully prompted nearly one million smokers to quit for the
day. That California event marked the first Smokeout, and the
Society took it nationwide in 1977.
Today, an estimated 47 million US
adults smoke. Tobacco use can cause lung cancer, as well as
other cancers, heart disease, and respiratory disease; and each
year smoking is responsible for one of five deaths. Fortunately,
the past 25 years have seen tremendous strides in reversing
attitudes towards smoking, understanding the addiction, and
learning how to help people quit.
If you’re ready to quit, you should
know you’re not alone. The American Cancer Society provides a
variety of progressive, science-based resources that can double
your chances of quitting successfully.
Find more information visit our sites
about quitting smoking, improving your health
or getting involved in the Great American
Smokeout. Or just call your
American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.
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