Submitted by Julie Livengood, Administrator, Atchison County Health Department
November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month – a time when we recognize those battling lung cancer and those who have passed due to lung cancer. We dedicate this month to taking steps to prevent lung cancer caused by smoking. The CDC reports cigarette smoking is linked to nearly 80-90% of lung cancer deaths and smoking cigarettes is the number one risk factor for developing lung cancer.
Have you ever thought about quitting smoking? Statistically significant differences in the motivation to quit smoking have been found according to sex, age, social class, and smoking history. 43.2% of ex-smokers quit because of tobacco-related health conditions, while 31.9% of ex-smokers quit to avoid future illness. An average of only 4 to 7 percent of smokers that try to quit “cold turkey” are successful in staying smoke free without support.
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time and a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day; you can start with day one. Let the Great American Smokeout® event on the third Thursday in November be your day to start your journey toward a smoke-free life!
The Great American Smokeout® is a day dedicated to reclaiming a smoke-free life and you’ll be joining thousands of people who smoke across the country in taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing your cancer risk.
It’s never too late to quit using tobacco. The sooner you quit, the more you can reduce your chances of getting cancer and other diseases.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has another resource for those that would like help to quit smoking. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) or log onto YouCanQuit.org. The service is free, confidential, effective and available 24/7.
(Information taken from: www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/risk-factors and www.cancer.org and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22644233/)
