Join the Great American Smokeout Nov. 20
By Jennifer Lange, the El Paso County Public Health Substance Use Prevention Division Manager
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, with about 480,000 people dying from a smoking-related illness each year. Along with causing cancer, tobacco use can damage nearly every organ in your body, including your lungs, heart, blood vessels, reproductive organs, mouth, skin, eyes and bones.
With the help of organizations like the American Cancer Society, the past few decades have seen great strides in changing attitudes about smoking, understanding nicotine addiction and learning how to help people quit. To support smoking intervention efforts, the American Cancer Society developed the Great American Smokeout in 1977. The Smokeout event, held on the third Thursday of November, challenges people to stop smoking and learn about the many tools they can use to help them quit and stay quit. Even if you don’t smoke, you can support and encourage a friend or loved one to quit.
Dangers of nicotine
Smoking puts you at risk for many health problems, including:
Cancer – Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, accounting for three out of every 10 cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths. Smoking also causes cancers of the larynx (voice box), mouth, sinuses, pharynx (throat), esophagus (swallowing tube) and bladder. It also has been linked to the development of cancers of the pancreas, cervix, ovary (mucinous), colon/rectum, kidney, stomach and some types of leukemia.
Lung damage – Smoke damage in your lungs can lead to serious long-term diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Health benefits of quitting smoking over time
Within minutes of quitting smoking, your body begins to recover:
- 20 minutes – Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
- A few days – The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
- 2 weeks to 3 months – Your circulation improves, and your lung function increases.
- 1-12 months – Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.
- 1-2 years – Your risk of heart attack drops dramatically.
- 5-10 years – Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and voice box is cut in half, and your stroke risk decreases.
- 10 years – Your risk of lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. Your risk of cancer of the bladder, esophagus and kidney decreases.
- 15 years – Your risk of coronary heart disease is close to that of a nonsmoker.
Develop a plan to quit smoking
The best way to quit is to start with a plan. Here’s an outline of how to make one:
Make the decision to quit tobacco – The decision to quit smoking is one only you can make. It’s important to determine why you want to quit. Do you believe the benefits of quitting outweigh the benefits of continuing to use tobacco? Are you ready to make a serious attempt at quitting?
Set a date for the Quit Day – Picking a quit date is a key step. Choose a date with a special meaning like a birthday or anniversary, or the date of the Great American Smokeout, Nov. 20, 2025.
Select a method for how to quit – Helpful options include nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medicines, counseling, support groups or going cold turkey. Combining two or more of these quit aids may work better than just using one.
Remove temptations – It’s best to get rid of all the cigarettes, vape pens, ashtrays, and all smokeless tobacco products at home, work and in cars.
Set up a support system – Friends and family should be informed about the quit day and encouraged to help with motivation. Other options are to join a support group, access a Quitline to talk with a coach or work with a counselor for tips to stay tobacco-free.
Ideas for staying committed to quitting
Once you have quit, it is important to keep up your motivation. Consider the following tips:
Avoid temptation – Stay away from people, places and situations that may cause temptation.
Change habits – Switch to juice or water instead of alcohol or coffee, take a different route to work or take a brisk walk instead of a tobacco break.
Choose other items to chew – Examples of substitutes are sugarless gum, hard candy, carrot sticks or sunflower seeds.
Get active – Exercise or activities that keep hands busy help to distract from the urge to use tobacco.
Breathe deeply – When the urge to use tobacco strikes, breathing deeply and picturing your lungs filling with fresh air can be a reminder about cleaning toxins from the body.
Delay before acting – Often, by waiting at least 10 minutes before actually picking up a tobacco product, the strong urge will recede and go away.
Reward yourself – Acknowledge successes throughout the quitting process. Some ideas are to use the money that you would have spent on tobacco products to buy rewards such as a book, new music or a meal at a restaurant.
The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout website (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/great-american-smokeout.html) provides resources, news, and stories about the journey to quit smoking. Smokers can also visit the Colorado QuitLine for free telephone coaching at coquitline.org.
