The third Thursday of November is celebrated as The Great American Smokeout every year. What began as a one-day 1970 event in Massachusetts grew to a day in California where nearly 1 million people stopped smoking for the day. That California event marked the first official Smokeout, and the American Cancer Society took it nationwide in 1977.
For more than 40 years, The Great American Smokeout has promoted the opportunity for people who smoke to commit to living a healthy, smoke-free life. The event encourages smokers to quit for the day and remain tobacco-free for the rest of their lives. Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, and many adults want to quit. Unfortunately, stopping smoking is challenging, and nicotine addiction is strong. On November 17, join thousands of others for the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout to help with quitting or helping someone important in your life with this undertaking.
The good news is smoking among adults has declined in the United States. However, the bad news is that youth vaping or e-cigarette use has risen dramatically, and the FDA declared it a nationwide epidemic in 2019. According to the CDC, in 2022, 4 of 100 middle school students (4.5%) and 1 of 6 high school students (16.5%) reported using a tobacco product. Preventing tobacco use among students is critical to curbing the epidemic. Follow CDC and Tobacco Free Florida for the latest information about smoking and tobacco use and tips on quitting.
