Smokeout Day

The American Cancer Society sponsors the Smokeout Day on the third Thursday of November (November 18), challenging smokers to give up cigarettes for 24 hours. If you or a loved one smokes cigarettes, consider joining the movement, and take the first step toward quitting cigarettes forever!

The effects of smoking are alarming. It kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined. Plus, thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes. It’s the leading cause of death and preventable illness in the U.S.

The dangers of smoking are severe. Smoking causes weight gain and reduced sex drive. It causes nicotine addiction, which can lead to constant nervousness and stress. It delays the healing of wounds, increasing the risk of infection after surgery. Smoking risks also include exposure to secondhand smoke, which is responsible for the death of over 50,000 nonsmokers every year. Smoking can also lead to a long list of illnesses and chronic diseases, from diabetes to heart disease to cancer and more.

Lung cancer from smoking is the number-one cause of cancer death for men and women. Smoking also leads to liver, colorectal and breast cancer. Smokeless tobacco leads to esophageal, mouth and pancreatic cancer.

Moreover, smokers are at increased risk of developing and dying from severe COVID-19. Tobacco use is also a significant risk factor for noncommunicable diseases, in particular cardiovascular, cancer and respiratory diseases, and diabetes. In addition, people with these conditions are more susceptible to complications from COVID-19.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/