Quit Smoking to Start the Holiday Season Off Right!

Quit smoking to start the holiday season off right!

By Emily Faircloth, Youth Prevention Specialist, Inyo County HHS

For many of us, November is the time of year when we start planning for cooler weather and pumpkin spice everything. Did you know that in November there is a holiday other than Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving? Every November we celebrate a holiday that encourages lives to be saved: The Great American Smokeout®. This November 19^th help us celebrate a day where we encourage those who smoke to kick the habit for good.

Many of us know of someone whose life has been affected by smoking and want the resources to help them quit. Smoking remains the largest cause of preventable death in the world and is responsible for over 480,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone₁.

Even if you are a long time smoker, it is never too late to quit! The sooner you quit smoking, your chances of getting cancer and other harmful diseases are lowered₂. Quitting smoking will not only help you live a longer and healthier life, it will also protect your family, friends, pets and houseplants from the effects of second hand smoke!

If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, The Great American Smokeout® on November 19 is the perfect time! For help quitting, call 1-800-NO-BUTTS or visit https://www.nobutts.org/ or the American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking.html