New Campaign, Featuring Smokers' Personal Stories, Encourages Tobacco Users To "Be A Quitter"

Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking
Article Date: 01 May 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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Smokers and tobacco users trying to quit will soon have a potent ally - fellow smokers. On September 26, 2006, The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), both agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the "Quit Now" Challenge, a new initiative featuring the inspirational stories of people who want to quit smoking. Submissions were received from cigarette smokers and other tobacco users explaining, in their own words, why they want to "Quit Now!" Successful quitters whose stories were chosen will be announced on February 1, 2007 and are featured on the website, 1800quitnow.cancer.gov.

"Since 1-800-QUIT-NOW was launched in 2004, it has remained an important resource for the 45 million Americans who smoke, and for other tobacco users, to help them end their addiction," said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. "Such a program is vital to help improve the public health of this country, as young people continue to light up, and others continue to die from tobacco-related disease."

"NIH is committed to improving the health of all Americans and reducing the burden of illness," said NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. "Encouraging people to quit smoking, and supporting them in their effort to do so, is an important step in preventing the myriad of diseases caused by smoking and tobacco use."

"As a research institution, NCI is coordinating a wide-ranging program to study the mechanisms and molecular pathways of lung cancer - and the relationship of these pathways to nicotine and known carcinogens present in tobacco," said NCI Director John E. Niederhuber, M.D. "Knowing, as we do, that tobacco use accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths, helping people quit is key to reducing the burden of this disease."

"Quitting tobacco is not something anyone should have to face alone," said Corinne Husten, M.D., M.P.H., acting director of CDC's Office on Smoking and Health. "It's like a journey, filled with ups and downs. But with the proper coaching and support, people can quit."

Learn more at 1800quitnow.cancer.gov

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