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Since 1977, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has sponsored
the Great American Smokeout to foster community-based activities
that encourage cigarette smokers to stop smoking for at least 24
hours. These activities include distributing materials to schools,
hospitals, businesses, and other organizations that discourage
tobacco use; encouraging restaurants and other businesses to be
smoke-free for the day; and promoting media coverage of special
events at the national and community level.
During the 1993 Great American Smokeout, an estimated 2.4
million (6%) smokers reported quitting, and 6.0 million (15%)
reported reducing the number of cigarettes smoked on that day (1).
In addition, approximately 1.6 million (4%) smokers quit smoking
for 1-10 days after the Smokeout (1). Approximately 10.7 million
packs of cigarettes were not smoked, resulting in an estimated
$18.1 million not spent on cigarettes (1-3).
This year, the Great American Smokeout will be on Thursday,
November 17. The goal of the Smokeout is to promote and encourage
smoking cessation by helping smokers realize that if they can quit
for 1 day, they can quit permanently. Information is available from
local chapters of the ACS; for telephone numbers of these local
chapters, telephone (800) 227-2345 or (404) 329-7576.
Reported by: American Cancer Society, Atlanta. Office on Smoking
and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion, CDC.
References
Lieberman Research, Inc. The 1993 Great American Smokeout study.
Atlanta: American Cancer Society, 1993.
CDC. Cigarette smoking among adults -- United States, 1992, and
changes in the definition of current cigarette smoking. MMWR
1994;43:342-6.
The Tobacco Institute. The tax burden on tobacco: historical
compilation, 1993. Washington, DC: The Tobacco Institute, 1994.
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