The American Cancer Society will mark the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 21. The campaign encourages smokers to use the day to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day.
By quitting — even for one day — smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing cancer risk.
Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of disease, disability, and premature death in the United States. The numbers are sobering:
• Cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke result in more than 443,000 deaths a year.
• Smoking costs the United States about $96 billion each year in medical expenses and $97 billion in lost productivity due to premature death.
Quitting is difficult. Most smokers try to quit around 10 times before they are successful. Under the Affordable Care Act, prescription and over the counter tobacco cessation products are now covered with a zero ($0) co-payment and a valid prescription written by a licensed health care provider for those 18 years of age and older, and for pregnant women with no age limit. The following products are covered: patches, gums, nasal sprays, inhalers, lozenges, Chantix and bupropion (the generic version of Zyban). Please note: brand name Zyban will still have a copayment.
For information and resources to help you quit smoking, click here.
For more information about the Great American Smokeout, click here.
Submitted by: Dawn Rotterman, human resource associate, Human Resources
