Each year thousands of Americans kick the tobacco habit and participate in the Great American Smoke-Out.  Thursday, November 15 is the date that smokers will be asked to stop smoking for just one day with the hope that this will be the beginning of a new tobacco-free lifestyle.

“There are many lifestyle and health benefits to quitting smoking or using tobacco products,” says Shelly Miller, Health Educator.  

According to the American Cancer Society, the earliest health improvement occurs just 20 minutes after the last tobacco-use as heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop.  Long-term health benefits include a decrease in risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and many types of cancer.

Several resources are available for people who would like to quit using tobacco products:

The Ohio Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-Quit Now (or 1-800-784-8669) is available for those without health insurance, Medicaid fee-for-service clients and pregnant women.

www.smokefree.gov is a website sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services, the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.  This site helps its users establish a quit plan.

www.becomeanex.org is an interactive website developed by Legacy in partnership with the Mayo Clinic.  This site offers a free quit plan and online support.

Employees should also check with their health insurance benefits coordinator, as many plans are now required to offer tobacco cessation.