For Wanda Humphrey, Jan. 22 has special meaning. On that day, she kicked her smoking habit after puffing away for more than 30 years.

Tired of cigarettes controlling her, she decided it was time to quit and take control of her life. Now she says she will never smoke again. Quitting wasn’t easy. With the support of family, friends and co-workers, Humphrey felt compelled to remain tobacco-free. For millions of people, this Thursday could be the day permanently marked on their calendars. Across the country and locally, smokers will attempt to quit at least for the day possibly for good during the American Cancer Society’s 27th annual Great American Smokeout. Locally, many smokers have apparently made the step. A survey of La Plata County residents conducted by the Lasso Tobacco Coalition showed a decline in the smoking rate among adults over the last three years. The number of smokers dropped from 23.2 percent to 17.6 percent. For local smokers ready to put out that last cigarette butt and leave smoking behind, there is support through cessation programs and telephone hot lines. Humphrey, an administrative assistant at the San Juan Basin Health Department, said she thought she would never quit. "I thought I would smoke till I died," she said. But coming to terms with the habit, she realized she was tired of needing to smoke. She wanted to be in charge. Like many smokers, Humphrey quit "cold turkey." She said support from co-workers at the health department, and from her family, helped her keep from picking up a cigarette again. "Everyone was so proud of me, and it’s hard to fall back because of the support." Even though she felt bad at first after quitting, Humphrey said, "I was proud I quit." Jim Bagwell knows how difficult it is to quit, and he knows the results of not stopping. A respiratory therapist at Mercy Medical Center, Bagwell facilitates smoking-cessation clinics. He also is a former smoker. If only one person quits during the smokeout, that is a success, Bagwell said. "Quitting is one of the hardest things that anybody will ever do," he said. "I think it’s important that people make the decisions today that may not affect them today, but may affect them 15 years from now. Cigarette smoking is one of those." If a smoker continues, Bagwell said, in the long run they may experience health problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. But almost instantly after quitting, a smoker will see benefits, such as higher oxygen levels in the blood stream. Bagwell leads cessation clinics at Mercy, where groups of at least 10 people meet. Program orientations take place the first Wednesday of each month, and if enough people show interest a group will form. He does not lecture or tell people what to do. Instead, he helps direct participants’ discussions. A self-help program is also available at no cost, he said. Smokers in the self-help program basically quit on their own and receive some support through the program. The cessation clinics require more time, in order to attend regular meetings, and cost $120, which can be paid over time. Bagwell said smokers are encouraged to use money that would be spent on cigarettes to pay for classes. The first step in the cessation program is identifying reasons smokers started and what the habit signifies. In the subsequent six weeks, and once the participants quit smoking, Bagwell assists participants create coping strategies to remain tobacco free. For example, some smokers may be used to lighting up while on the telephone. Bagwell helps them find alternatives to their usual behavior. Humphrey said she knew she could quit for three days, long enough for the nicotine to leave her body, but "I needed to make the commitment to myself to quit for good." Although the body may be clear of the drug in a few days, Humphrey said, mentally it takes longer to get over the addiction. "Every day I think: ‘Wow, I would like a cigarette, but I don’t need a cigarette,’" she said. Katie Leibig, 21, started smoking at 14, but decided to quit before turning 20. A Fort Lewis College student, Leibig quit while traveling on spring break her sophomore year. "Smoking was the only thing in my life that I felt addicted to and didn’t have control over," she said. After she quit she rarely craved cigarettes. She said she feels better now and no longer smells of smoke. Setting a quit date in advance is helpful, Leibig said. She began weaning herself off cigarettes slowly before she finally quit. Ending the habit at a young age may be in Leibig’s favor, according to Jennifer Simon, area director for the American Cancer Society’s Great West Division. Simon said that long-term smokers who are diagnosed with lung cancer usually start at a young age. But people who quit early in life also have the most benefits. Reformed smokers who quit by age 35 avoid 90 percent of the risks attributed to tobacco. Smoking contributes to lung cancer, the second leading cause of death for Americans, Simon said. Along with lung cancer, smoking contributes to a variety of cancers including: mouth, larynx, pharynx, cervix and stomach. The smokeout is a day for added support for smokers who choose to quit and highlights available resources, Simon said. Last year, it is estimated that more than 8.8 million smokers nationwide took part in the event, and about 2.8 million gave up smoking completely. "Research has shown that the first 24 hours are the most difficult," she said. "If they can make it through that time they can make it." Locally, smoking is declining, Simon said, citing the Lasso Tobacco Coalition survey. That decline is good, she said, but added, "I still think we have a ways to go. But I think that is some pretty aggressive progress." Humphrey said smokers need to come to terms with the habit and choose to quit. She’s glad she made the decision. "It was my friend for 30 years through thick and thin, through bad times and good times," Humphrey said. "But my little friend wasn’t good."

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