For smokers tired of hearing about the dangers of cigarettes,Thursday marked just another annoying day. But to those ready tothink about quitting, the Great American Smokeout encouraged themto put down their packs -- at least for the day.
Smokers and non-smokers alike are familiar with the dangers andconsequences of smoking. However, it is also important to be awareof the benefits of quitting and the scientific discoveriesresearchers have made to help those who are addicted to stop, saidsmoking cessation experts.
"This is a once a year opportunity to help people quit and is agreat way to raise awareness about quitting," said Kenneth Ward,assistant professor at the Center for Community Health. "This, morethan any other event held during the year, raises people'sawareness about quitting. It creates motivation to kick thehabit."
The idea behind the Smokeout, which is held every Nov. 20 acrossthe country, is that the people will cut back for one day, givingthem an initial step down the road of quitting, said MarkVanderweg, assistant professor at the Center for CommunityHealth.
"It draws attention to the smoking problem and the toll it takesin morbidity and mortality," said Vanderweg. "The biggest challengeis that it gives smokers a specific day to plan on quitting."
The effects of quitting smoking are present faster than manypeople may think. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of heart attackwithin 24 hours, also decreasing the risk of stroke, Ward said.
In September 1990, the U.S. Surgeon General outlined thebenefits of smoking cessation, which include longer life span, nomatter what the quitting age. Also, smokers who quit before age 50have half the risk of dying in the next 15 years compared withthose who continue to smoke.
"The sooner people quit, the better," Ward said. "It is mucheasier when people are young because they haven't been smoking aslong. After smoking for 30 or 40 years, quitting becomes verydifficult."
Quitting also substantially decreases the risk of cancer of thelung, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, mouth, pancreas, bladder andcervix.
The risk of having lung cancer and other smoking related cancersis related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, which ismeasured by the number of cigarettes smoked each day, the age atwhich smoking began and the number of smoking years.
Those who smoke two or more packs a day have 20 times the riskof developing lung cancer than nonsmokers.
"Half the number of smokers will die of a smoking-relatedillness," said Ward. "About one quarter of smokers die in theirmiddle ages of life -- 35 to 69 -- and lose many years of theirlives."
Over the past few years, researchers have uncovered many findsthat could lead to better and more advanced smoking cessationmedication. The research, according to the National Institute ofDrug Abuse, includes topics from a brain molecule that make peopleneed nicotine to an enzyme that increases nicotine resistance to abreakdown in the brain's pleasure circuits after nicotinewithdrawal, which could explain many of the symptoms of quitting"cold turkey."
About 19 percent of smokers take part in the Great AmericanSmokeout, which is a rather substantial proportion, Vanderweg said,adding that of those, about 5 percent will continue with theircessation after the day is over -- a significant numbernationwide.
"It can be done," Ward said. "Many people quit."
