This Thursday is a good day to clear the air, so to speak.
It's the annual Great American Smokeout -- marked on the third Thursday in November -- when smokers, hopefully, will make the commitment to stop smoking for the day.
The goal is to convince smokers that if they can quit for 24 hours, they can quit for good. You don't have to stop smoking in one day. Start with Day 1, literature from the American Cancer Society reminds. It's a great first step to stopping an extremely bad habit that could lead to dire consequences.
Like with most efforts, there is good news and bad news to report. According to the American Cancer Society, the rate of cigarette smoking in the United States has declined from 42 percent in 1965 to between 14 percent and 15 percent today. The bad news is that 34 million American adults still smoke cigarettes, and smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of death and illness in the world.
Here are some statistics, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the cancer society, that just may persuade some smokers to kick the habit for good:
• 480,000 -- The number of deaths in America caused by cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke yearly.
• 127,700 -- The number of those tobacco-related deaths from lung cancer.
• 87 percent -- The percentage of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. caused by smoking.
We offer these statistics with the hope that many smokers take that first step to stop and put down those cigarettes, cigars and pipes, or don't put a pinch between your cheek and gums.
Considering the alternatives -- lung cancer, lip cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat and digestive tract -- it's not so hard to consider quitting, right?
Some of the benefits of ending smoking include an increase in lung function within three months; a reduction in coughing and shortness of breath and a gain in the body's natural defenses against lung infections within nine months; and in a year, the risk of coronary heart disease is dropped to half that of a smoker.
If the health statistics aren't enough, calculate the cost of your particular form of tobacco in your weekly, monthly and annual budget, please. We are completely sure a savings will be found.
The Great American Smokeout isn't just about struggling through a single-day commitment to go tobacco free. It's about learning and about finding and using tools to reduce and eventually end personal tobacco use. If cold turkey quitting is too much, consider the availability of counseling, nicotine replacement products, group support, telephone hotline support, guidebooks and encouragement, including nagging, from friends and family.
Make the commitment and try to stay away from tobacco for just one day. It's the first step to a healthier lifestyle.
When you're breathing better, when your heart is functioning better, you can be more active, and that means better health overall.
Commit to quit, and take it one step at a time.