The American Cancer Society marks the Great American Smokeout every third Thursday of November by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance to quit smoking that day.
In doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing their risk for cancer.
To celebrate the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, Nov. 20, ACCESS will provide its clients with information on the Michigan Tobacco Quit Line, now available in Arabic. Staff will be available outside of the ACCESS clinic at 6450 Maple St. in Dearborn from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in Michigan, killing more than 14,400 residents each year, yet many Michiganders still use tobacco. In Michigan, 21.4 percent of adults and 11.8 percent of youth smoke cigarettes. However, among current U.S. adult cigarette smokers, nearly 70 percent report that they want to quit completely. Because tobacco products are highly addictive, most users make several quit attempts before they are successful.
“The Great American Smokeout is an opportunity to remind tobacco users that there are resources available to help them quit, and to support tobacco users in their efforts to quit,” said Madiha Tariq, ACCESS public health manager. “Quitting tobacco use is the best thing you can do for your health. Within minutes to hours after quitting, blood pressure, heart rate and carbon monoxide levels decrease, and the long term benefits continue over time including improved lung function and decreased risk of cancer and heart disease.”
Understanding the effects of tobacco is especially relevant to the Arab American community. Rates of tobacco use by Arab Americans exceed figures of tobacco use for the overall American population – as many as 40 percent of adults and 34 percent of teens in the Arab American community are current smokers. The use of hookahs to smoke flavored tobacco is a common practice in many Arab American homes and social settings.
Research shows that while quitting is difficult for most tobacco users, people who use tobacco can increase their success in quitting with help. Quitters are most successful when using a combination of therapies, including resources such as nicotine replacement, counseling, self-help materials and a strong support network of family and friends.
Resources available to Michigan residents include:
Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Tobacco Quitline, 1-800-784-8669, which continues to provide free telephone coaching for the uninsured, pregnant women, and those with Medicaid and Medicare, and free nicotine replacement medications for those who qualify
Information on quitting smoking and a free printable Michigan Smoker’s Quit Kit are available through MDCH by visiting: www.michigan.gov/tobacco
BecomeAnEX.org is a free, interactive website that shows smokers how to re-learn life without cigarettes
The site, developed by Legacy in partnership with Mayo Clinic, offers a free, personalized quit plan and an online support community to help people prepare to quit and stay quit
The American Cancer Society has tools available to help with quitting
For more information contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345
For more information about the ACCESS’ participation in the Great American Smokeout, contact Corey Beckwith at 313-216-2208. Information is also available on the American Cancer Society's Web site at www.cancer.org.
