November Letter to the Editor | The Great American Smokeout

To the Editor:  

Thursday, November 21st is the Great American Smokeout, a day set aside by the American Cancer Society to encourage smokers to give up tobacco, at least for one day, and to think about quitting for good. These days, most people have a pretty good understanding of the harms caused by cigarette smoking, but about 1in 5 Indiana adults still smoke. Smokers have a high risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and many other types of cancer. Smoking also increases the damage of chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma, and can increase the risk of strokes. We can support Hoosier smokers attempting to quit by encouraging participation in the Great American Smokeout on November 21st, and through free resources such as the Indiana Tobacco Quitline. Indiana residents ages 13 and over can contact the Quitline by calling 1-800-QuitNow, texting READY to 34191,or visiting www.QuitNowIndiana.com.