HAWC to celebrate Great American Smokeout

  • Published
  • By Maj. Cathy Snowball
  • 48th Aerospace Medical Squadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  On Nov. 20, RAF Lakenheath is encouraging people to commit to making a long-term plan to quit smoking through the Great American Smokeout. The 33rd Great American Smokeout was inaugurated in 1976 to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for one day. Now, 44.2 percent of the 45.3 million Americans who smoke have attempted to quit for at least one day in the past year. 

With all the resources available to help smokers quit, there has never been a better time to quit smoking, and the Health and Wellness Centers (HAWC) on Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall are here to help. If you smoke, make a plan and set the Great American Smokeout, Nov. 20, as your quit date. The HAWC is offering two special tobacco cessation classes on the Nov. 20. The class will cover skills to quit, a discussion with a behavioral health provider who will provide tips to stay quit, and a medical provider who will provide a health screening and prescribe medications to help with the quitting process if a person desires. 

The class will be held at Lakenheath from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m., and at Mildenhall from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., at the HAWC. The HAWC is also sponsoring a poster and essay contest for school age children with the theme of "How to get your parents or adult role model to stop using tobacco." Lakenheath HAWC will host an information booth at the Base Exchange on Nov. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Mildenahll HAWC will host an information booth a the BXTRA on Nov. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Studies have found that a tobacco cessation class can more than double a person's chances of successfully quitting tobacco.

The American Cancer Society also offers other free resources through Quitline and at www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans, that can increase a smoker's chances of quitting successfully, including tips and tools for friends, family, and coworkers of potential quitters to help them be aware and supportive of the struggle to quit smoking. The Department of Defense sponsored www.ucanquit2.org site also has great information on quitting and provides toll free numbers for 24 hour support in the quitting process.

Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. Each year, smoking accounts for an estimated 438,000 premature deaths, including 38,000 deaths among nonsmokers as a result of secondhand smoke. Half of all Americans who continue to smoke will die from smoking-related diseases.