Time To “Smokeout” Tobacco Use

by Dr. Brett L. Lukert, DC

This November, the American Cancer Society is celebrating the 34th Great American Smokeout. On the third Thursday of November each year, smokers across the nation participate by smoking less or quitting for the day. This event educates people about the dangers of tobacco and challenges them to stop smoking permanently in an effort to encourage better health.

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, accounting for more than 400,000 deaths each year. One third of all cancer deaths are due to tobacco use. Smoke damage is not just dangerous to the smoker, it is also harmful to everyone else who inhales the secondhand smoke. It has been shown that among babies 18 months and younger, secondhand smoke is responsible for 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year.

The good news is it is never too late to quit, and even long-time smokers can significantly increase their life expectancy. Smokers who quit by age 50 will decrease their chances of dying in the next 15 years by 50 percent compared with those who continue to smoke. Research has also shown that a smoker who quits by age 35 can add 8 years to his life, and quitting by age 55 will increase life expectancy by 5 years.

Obvious advantages of quitting smoking include lowering the risk for lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other respiratory problems. It also increases energy levels, allows food to taste and smell better, saves money, and improves the health of everyone else around.

The reason it is so difficult to quit smoking is because nicotine is extremely addictive. With determination and persistence, however, it can be done. Here are a few tips:

1. Believe in yourself. Believe you can quit. After all, “if it is to be, it is up to me.”
2. Write down your reasons for quitting, the quit date and any other health goals. This allows you to review and re-affirm health goals on a daily basis.
3. Ask family and friends for support. It helps significantly to have an accountability partner.
4. Begin an exercise program. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body recover from years of cigarette damage.
5. Consult your doctor. Whether it’s better to quit “cold turkey” or on a gradual basis will vary with each individual.

The American Cancer Society has a very successful program called Free & Clear (800-227-2345), which has helped more than a million people quit smoking. Thanks to educational efforts by organizations such as these, smoking frequency among adults continues to decline. Let’s continue to “smoke-out” tobacco use and encourage each other to be healthy, live healthy and stay healthy!