health

Campaign reminds smokers: Quitting can take several tries

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 8, 2013

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The American Lung Assn. and WellPoint have teamed up to help people who want to quit smoking.

The smoking cessation campaign, called “Quitter in You,” seeks to empower people trying to quit smoking by acknowledging that past quitting attempts are not failures but are normal steps on the way to stopping for good (link). WellPoint gave the association $1.5 million in support of the effort. A survey by the ALA showed that six in 10 smokers were not able to quit after numerous tries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than 43 million American adults smoke, and smoking costs the nation more than $193 billion each year, including $97 billion in lost productivity and $96 billion in direct health care expenditures. That averages $4,446 per adult smoker, the agency said.

The “Quitter in You” campaign website features tools and support from the lung association’s Freedom From Smoking Lung Helpline (800-586-4872). The program focuses on 14 target markets such as Atlanta, Denver, New York and Las Vegas.

“The American Lung Assn. wants every smoker to know that they are not alone in their unsuccessful quit attempts, and that with each quit attempt, they become one step closer to becoming smoke-free,” said Harold P. Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Assn. “The American Lung Association is here to provide expert support and proven resources that have helped more than 1 million people quit smoking for good.”

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