Thursday, Nov. 19, is the day to kick "butt." Cigarette butt, that is. Are you thinking about quitting smoking but not sure you're ready to take the plunge?
Multiple health support organizations on base, including the Health and Wellness Center, would like to encourage you to join in the American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smoke Out -- a nationally recognized day for people to put down their cigarettes, cigars, spit tobacco and other tobacco products. This is a great opportunity to join with literally millions of others going smoke-free for 24 hours.
If past Smoke Outs are any indication, as many as one-third of the nation's 46 million smokers could be taking the day off from smoking. Tobacco use is a tough habit to break but you can do it. Think about how it will improve your health. Twenty minutes after one quits smoking the body begins to heal itself from the effects of smoking. What better time to make change than now?
Participation in the Great American Smoke Out is part of a larger Department of Defense campaign called "Quit Tobacco: Make Everyone Proud" which assists active duty service members in their efforts to quit. Visit their award-winning Web site www.ucanquit2.org. And use the interactive information and support tools to help you become tobacco-free. This Web site has great articles on how to quit smoking, support tools and instant-message help from trained cessation coaches, which can be obtained anonymously.
You can customize and download your own specific quitting plan, read up on quitting strategies, and even access motivational games, podcasts, and send a tobacco cessation e-card from the site to someone you know who is also trying to quit smoking. Support is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week by logging on to www.ucanquit2.org. The site offers the latest high-tech ways to connect with others on the road to becoming tobacco free.
Ready to Quit? Call the HAWC (Building 533) at (801) 777-1215 to sign up for the tobacco cessation class series. Classes meet one hour weekly for four weeks. The next series dates are Nov. 18 and 25 and Dec. 2 and 9. For those who sign up and complete the class series, a raffle ticket for a free turkey will be given to those who attend each class.
Enjoy the "Benefits of Being Tobacco Free." Join millions of others who want to enjoy the benefits of being tobacco free. Even if you don't go on to quit permanently, you will have learned that you can quit for a day.
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