Great American Smokeout encourages tobacco users to quit
11/08/01
If you are contemplating stopping smoking, you have a week to begin doing something about it.
On Nov. 15, the American Cancer Society marks the 25th anniversary of the Great American Smokeout, a national campaign that encourages tobacco users to quit for one day, with the hope that it will lead to a lifetime of being smoke-free.
Each year, some 70,000 Texans are diagnosed with cancer, and another 30,000 will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Smoking claims more than 400,000 lives throughout the United States annually.
In conjunction with the Great American Smokeout, the Lubbock affiliate of the American Cancer Society is handing out survival kits for those who want to quit for the day.
Survival kits, which will include a variety of give-aways along with information on smoking cessation, will be provided free Nov. 15 at locations in Lubbock.
The kits will be distributed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Market Street, 3405 50th St., and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at United Supermarkets at 112 N. University Ave.
Along with the kits, several other door prizes will be given away to participants, including turkeys, a massage, car washes and gift certificates. There also will be drawings for a football and basketballs autographed by Texas Tech student athletes and coaches.
To be eligible for the door prizes, participants must be willing to turn over their tobacco products and sign a card pledging to be smoke-free for the day.
In addition, Tobacco-Free Tech, in cooperation with the Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, will have an information table set up from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the University Center on the Tech campus.
Participating students will receive the quit kits, along with discount coupons. The kits also will be distributed at Student Health Services and the Student Recreation Center on the Tech campus.