The Great American Smokeout!

Did you know that tobacco is the single-most preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States? In fact, tobacco use is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in this country.

Quitting tobacco isn’t easy, but it is a fight you can win. Research shows that if you pick a quit date in the next 30 days and stick to it, you’ll be more likely to quit for good. Wood County Hospital is proud to join the American Cancer Society in promoting the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 15, 2012. So pick a quit date, and as you mark it on your calendar, consider these benefits of quitting:

• 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.
• 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves, and your lung function increases.
• 1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures in the lungs) regain normal function, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk for infection.
• 1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
• 5 years after quitting: Risks of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a nonsmoker. Stroke risk can fall to that of a nonsmokers after 2 to 5 years.
• 10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker. The risks of cancer in the larynx and pancreas decrease.
• 15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.

We want to help you stay well. To learn more about the steps you can take to quit tobacco, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345, or visit cancer.org/smokeout.