Tennessee Smokers Urged to Quit During Great American Smokeout

Tennesseans who smoke are urged to join people across the United States who are working to kick the habit for the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 15, 2007. This annual observance challenges smokers to stop using tobacco, and educates them about the many effective ways to quit smoking and the bountiful health benefits of living a tobacco-free life.

Tennesseans may also take advantage of a powerful resource to help them quit tobacco use:  the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine. This free service offers personalized support through a quit coach who will help design an individualized plan to stop using smoke, chew or spit tobacco. It only takes a phone call to start living a healthier life free from tobacco. The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine can be reached toll-free at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669.)

“The Great American Smokeout is a wonderful tradition, and we hope Tennessee smokers use this day as an opportunity to start the process of going tobacco free,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “We know this process can be challenging, but we also know research shows those who have a cessation plan and a support system have a much better chance of success. The Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine provides Tennesseans with both of these elements, which are crucial to cessation.”

Tennessee tobacco users can call the QuitLine to be paired with a personal quit coach and receive additional materials to help them stop tobacco use for good. To ensure consistency, individuals participating in the program work with the same quit coach over a 12-month period. This service is available in both English and Spanish, and is provided free of charge to Tennessee residents.

“The costs of smoking are grave and its impact is pervasive, from chronic health problems for the smokers themselves to increased medical costs and lost productivity in the workplace,” said Donna Henry, director of health promotion for the Department of Health. “Passage of the Non-Smokers Protection Act this year shows how seriously the State of Tennessee takes the impact of smoking and secondhand smoke.”

Governor Phil Bredesen and the Tennessee General Assembly took historic steps this year to
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curb tobacco use in Tennessee and reduce its negative health impact on Tennessee citizens,
workers and visitors with passage of the new law banning smoking in enclosed public spaces, increasing the tax on tobacco products, and appropriating funds for programs to prevent tobacco use.

The U.S. Surgeon General reported in 2006 that secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard that could lead to disease and premature death in children and nonsmoking adults. It is estimated that 1,200 Tennesseans die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke.

The benefits of quitting tobacco use are significant and begin almost immediately upon quitting. Within 20 minutes of giving up tobacco use, elevated blood pressure and pulse decrease. In two days, nerve endings regenerate. In two weeks, circulation improves. In one to nine months, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease, and in one year, the risk of heart attack is cut in half.

A number of events will be held across Tennessee on November 15 in observance of the Great American Smokeout.  A list of some of these events accompanies this release.

For more on the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine, visit the Web site at http://health.state.tn.us/tobaccoquitline.htm, or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

For more on the Great American Smokeout, visit http://www.cancer.org/docroot/subsite/greatamericans/Smokeout.asp.