Thursday, November 20, 2008

Butt Out: The Great American Smokeout


Don't be a drag! STOP SMOKING TODAY!



The American Cancer Society has declared today The Great American Smokeout in the hopes that smokers will soon turn into non-smokers. The only rule? Don’t smoke for 24 hours.
This year, the American Cancer Society will be holding health fairs, school events among others in the hopes of educating the public on the effects of smoking. Check the web site for information on what is going on in your area.
GASO began officially in 1977 but six years prior, Arthur P. Mullaney laid the groundwork when he challenged the citizens of Randolph Massachusetts to put their ciggies away for one day and instead donate the money saved to a high school scholarship fund. He then coined the term “Smokeout.”



Minnesota’s Monticello Times editor Lynn R. Smith then organized Minnesota’s first D-Day or Don’t Smoke Day in 1977. The idea then spread.



So why should you or someone you love quit? Here are some (scary) facts about smoking: Cigarette smoking is responsible for almost 438,000 deaths (that’s 1 of every 5 deaths) in the United States. It harms nearly every organ in the body. In fact, more people die from tobacco use than from HIV, drug and alcohol use, suicides, murders and motor vehicle injuries—combined.