(BLOOMINGTON) – IU Health Community Health and the Tobacco Free Coalition of Monroe County are proud to participate in the American Cancer Society’s 45th annual Great American Smokeout® event on Thursday, Nov. 19.
“We encourage our community to commit or recommit on this day to healthy, smoke-free lives — not just for a day, but year-round,” said IU Health Community Health Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Patricia Colon, MPH, CHES.
Colon said cigarette smoking is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, accounting for 29% of all cancer deaths. And yet, 37.8 million American adults still smoke.
That’s because addiction to nicotine in cigarettes is one of the strongest addictions a person can have.
“It takes commitment and a lot of support to quit,” said Colon. “But getting help through counseling and/or prescription medications can double or triple the chances of quitting successfully.”
The American Cancer Society has people available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to support you while you strive to quit.
To find out more, visit cancer.org/smokeout or call 1-800-227-2345. For in-person tobacco cessation classes in Monroe County, please call IU Health Bloomington Community Health at 812-353-9300 to learn about the 2021 schedule.
