Great American Smokeout

The Great American Smokeout

Since the 1970’s, the 3rd Thursday of November has been the annual date for The Great American Smokeout. This event challenges tobacco users from all over the United States to stop smoking for 24 hours, with the hope that they will eventually stop all tobacco use. Certain states even offer incentives, such as a cold turkey sandwich to those who turn in a pack of cigarettes, or even obstacle courses made of oversized cigarette packs with the slogan, “Do not let smoking be an obstacle to overcome.”

The American Cancer society has sponsored the event since 1977.  For smokers and non smokers, please support your friends and family in kicking the habit.

Did you know?

- Worldwide, tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths per year, and current trends show that this will increase to 8 million deaths annually by 2030. 1

- Smoking is estimated to increase the risk of dying from chronic obstructive lung diseases (such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema) by 12 to 13 times, along with raising the risk of various cancers and heart disease. 2

- In 2009 it was found that 20.6% of all adults in the U.S are smokers. 3

- Approximately 45% of smokers try to quit each year. 4

- Each day, about 1,000 people younger than 18 years of age begin smoking on a daily basis. 4

- Spit or chewing tobacco is not a safe substitute for smoking. It is also associated with cancers of the esophagus, larynx, and stomach, and an increased risk of heart attacks and other heart diseases.6

- On average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than nonsmokers. 7

- Chicago has the second highest state-local tax rate in the U.S at $3.66 per pack. The tax alone for a pack- a-day smoker can amount to over $1,300 in a year. 8
Tips for quitting tobacco

The addictive mental and physical properties of tobacco are difficult for people to overcome, but not impossible. While some smokers are able to stop ‘cold turkey,’ it is common to need to gradually ease the withdrawal symptoms that stem from smoking cessation or to use alternative measures.

- Decide that you are ready to quit: Quitting smoking is something that requires the correct mindset to begin, and you must be ready and willing to do so. Be aware, however, that each day you smoke you may be increasing your risk of cancer and other diseases.

- Find a friend to help you out: Someone who does not smoke who is willing to be there when you feel like reaching for a cigarette. Avoid friends that will smoke around you, as they will be triggers towards starting up again.

- Ease off tobacco gradually by using nicotine replacement therapy, which provides nicotine that a smoker’s body desires without the other harmful additives found in cigarettes. These are available in various forms such as patches, gums, sprays, inhalers, and lozenges. Nicotine addiction is one of the hardest addictions to break, and the American Heart Association has determined that quitting smoking can be as difficult as quitting heroin and cocaine. 9

- Using some form of nicotine replacement therapy doubles your chances of quitting smoking. 10

- You can buy nicotine gum, patches, and lozenges without a prescription. You do, however, need a prescription to buy nicotine inhalers.

- Consider getting help from group or one-on-one counseling. 11 The longer you meet or talk with others about quitting, the more likely you are to quit smoking. Check out the resources below that are available to you.

Reach out towards others:

If you have friends or family that smoke or you yourself need assistance in quitting, there are many resources to assist you with your needs. Quitting tobacco is a difficult task that many people would like to achieve especially for those who do not always have the support to achieve this goal. Sometimes an empathetic friend that can be relied on is exactly what it takes to kick the habit for good. There are many factors that determine the success of smoking cessation, but sometimes it takes a shove in the right direction to get started.

UIC Pharmacy also offers resources to help you stop smoking. The family medicine center on the UIC webpage has information for students to contact them for meetings on smoking cessation. In addition to this, UIC’s wellness center has information on how to contact the Wellness Advocates Volunteering to Educate Students (WAVES) group, who can offer health information on a variety of topics including smoking cessation. If you are contemplating giving up cigarettes for good, but have questions or need advice on the best way to stop, you can also talk to your physician or local pharmacy for more information about treatments that can be used, including prescription medication. Another resource is the Illinois Tobacco Quitline at 1-866-QUIT-YES where professional staff can assist you with smoking cessation. These resources are available to you throughout the year, and we hope that you at least utilize them after November 18th, when you realize that going a day without tobacco is possible.

Alvin Thomas, PharmD Student 2014

Nick Burge, PharmD Candidate 2011

References:
1. World Health Organization. Report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2009: Implementing smoke-free environments. http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/2009/en/index.html. Published December 9, 2009. Accessed October 27, 2010.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surgeon general’s report, 2004- the health consequences of smoking. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2004/index.htm. Updated July 6, 2009. Accessed October 27, 2010.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Current cigarette smoking among adults aged ≥18 years --- United States, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5935a3.htm?s_cid=mm5935a3_w. Published September 7, 2010. Accessed October 27, 2010.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking and tobacco use- fast facts. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts. Updated September 15, 2010. Accessed October 27, 2010.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Results from the 2008 national survey on drug use and health: national findings. http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm#4.10. Published September 2009. Accessed October 27, 2010.
6. Smokeless tobacco facts. University of Minnesota Division of Peridontology. http://www1.umn.edu/perio/tobacco/smokeless.html. Published December 2, 2008. Accessed October 28, 2010.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and economic costs --- united states, 1995--1999. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5114a2.htm. Updated April 11, 2002. Accessed October 28, 2010.
8. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. State cigarette excise tax rates and rankings. http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0097.pdf. Published August 3, 2010. Published August 3, 2010. Accessed October 28, 2010.
9. American Heart Association . Nicotine addiction. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4753. Accessed October 28, 2010.
10. Stead LF, Perera R, Bullen C, Mant D, Lancaster T. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2002: CD000146.
11. Doering Paul L, Kennedy W. K, Boothby Lisa A. Substance-related disorders: alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. In: DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, Matzke GR, Wells BG, Posey LM, eds. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 7th ed: http://www.accesspharmacy.com/content.aspx?aID=3194292.