Residents Urged: Join the Great American Smokeout
Residents Urged: Join the
Great American Smokeout
Editor’s Note: The members of the Milbank High School Teens Against Tobacco group submitted the following for publication.
The Great American Smokeout is on the third Thursday of November every year. It stands as a major opportunity for smokers to take a break from smoking, experience the immediate health benefits and consider quitting for good.
Established by the American Cancer Society in 1977, the Great American Smokeout has encouraged millions to quit smoking and seek the benefits of a healthier life.
Quitting smoking has immediate positive effects on a person’s physical, emotional and mental health. Six hours after quitting, the heart rate and blood pressure improve. A week after quitting, the senses of smell and taste become stronger. A year after quitting, the lungs are much healthier, and 20 years after quitting, the risk for heart attack and stroke is about the same as someone who has never smoked.
On Thursday, November 21, take the opportunity to put your health first and give your body a break from smoking by quitting, even if only for a day, and encouraging those around you to do the same. It takes all of us to fight tobacco.
