Caldwell County Participates in Great American Smokeout

CALDWELL COUNTY, NC (November 16, 2017)…Caldwell County Health Department encourages tobacco-free living during the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout (GASO).

Caldwell County Health Department is encouraging the community to commit or recommit to healthy, tobacco-free lives by participating in the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout. Health educators will have a smoking cessation table in the front lobby of the Health and Human Services Building (2345 Morganton Blvd, Lenoir) on November 28th, 2017 from 10:30am-12:30pm.

“The most important thing smokers can do to improve their health is to quit cigarettes and other forms of combustible tobacco,” said Brittany Dobbins, MPH, CHES, Assistant Health Director. “We are showing our support for people who take those first steps toward making a plan to quit, by partnering with the American Cancer Society and providing smoking cessation counseling during the Great American Smoke out.”

Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States.  About half of all Americans who keep smoking will die because of the habit. Each year more than 480,000 people in the United States die from illnesses related to tobacco use.  This means smoking causes about 1 out of 5 deaths in the U.S. annually. Yet, because tobacco is one of the strongest addictions one can have, about 40 million American adults still smoke. Doctors and public health officials used to encourage smokers to quit cold turkey on a single day. Today, the evidence shows that quitting is a process. It starts with a plan, often takes time and requires a lot of support.

Caldwell County Health Department is partnering with the American Cancer Society, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide support as people make their plan to quit. More information is available at cancer.org/smokeout.

“Caldwell County Health Department wants to help the people in our community to be healthy and happy,” said Anna Martin, MPH, Health Promotion Supervisor. “During this year’s Great American Smokeout, we hope everyone will join us – and encourage their friends, family and colleagues to join us – in committing or recommitting to year-around, tobacco-free lives.”