Bartow, Fla. – The Great American Smokeout is Thursday, Nov. 20. Tobacco Free Polk and Tobacco Free Florida are encouraging tobacco users in Polk County to find their “inner quitter” by creating a quit plan for this day. The Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, is currently in its 39th year. The observance raises awareness about the dangers of smoking and the many effective resources available to successfully quit.
Local businesses are participating through informational booths with Quitline resources. These businesses include: Legoland, The Oakley Companies, and Oakbridge Healthcare Center. The Tobacco-Free Partnership of Polk County commends these local businesses for reaching out to their employees and community members to encourage quit attempts on November 20th.
While quitting tobacco is difficult, it is not impossible. There are more former smokers in Florida than there are current smokers. Those who have tried to quit in the past but relapsed are encouraged to try again. Many former smokers have made several attempts before quitting permanently.
“Establishing a quit plan is essential to success for any tobacco user,” Tobacco Program Manager Angela Forte said. “With three free options to help a smoker quit, people can set a date and be confident they will have the support they need to turn this quit attempt into a permanent lifestyle change”
Tobacco Free Florida offers 3 Free & Easy Ways to Quit:
* CALL: Call the Florida Quitline at 1-877-U-CAN-NOW to speak with a Quit Coach who will help assess a user’s addiction and help create a personalized quit plan.
* CLICK: Enroll in the Web Coach(r), which will help to create a web-based quit plan unique to each individual user, visit https://www.quitnow.net/florida.
* COME IN: Sign up for group classes at your local Area Health Education Center (AHEC) by calling (407) 889-2292 ext. 103.
Since 2007, more than 93,400 Floridians have successfully quit using one of these free services. For more information, please visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com.
