American Lung Association Encourages Smokers to Resolve to Quit Again in 2011

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Millions of Americans resolve to quit smoking in the New Year and are unsuccessful (1, 2), leaving them feeling alienated, frustrated and often discouraged.  What they may not know is that six out of 10 smokers require multiple quit attempts to stop smoking (3).

The American Lung Association wants to encourage smokers to try again, and resolve to quit smoking this spring.

Helping more Americans quit smoking remains a top public health priority for the American Lung Association.  The American Lung Association's "Quitter in You" campaign is designed to change the way Americans look at quitting smoking by acknowledging that past quit attempts aren't failures or wasted efforts, but are normal and sometimes necessary steps along the way toward quitting.  

Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 443,000 (4) lives each year in the United States, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of "secondhand" exposure to tobacco's carcinogens.

"Quitting smoking is the single most important step a smoker can take to improve his or her health.  Unfortunately, many people try to quit cold turkey and don't seek out the help they need in advance to successfully quit," said Mary Ella Douglas, smoking cessation expert at the American Lung Association.  

On its website, www.QuitterInYou.org, the American Lung Association provides a number of resources to help smokers quit:

• Freedom From Smoking® Online - Check out this online smoking cessation program (www.ffsonline.org) from the American Lung Association which helps smokers work through the problems and process of quitting and provides interaction with other smokers from across the country.
• Freedom From Smoking® Group Clinic - This American Lung Association program offers the same quitting process as the online program but is offered in a group setting. Participants in Freedom From Smoking® develop a personalized step-by-step plan to quit smoking.  Contact 1-800-LUNG-USA (586-4872) to speak with your local Lung Association about participating.
• Lung HelpLine - Call the American Lung Association Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNG-USA (586-4872) to receive smoking cessation counseling and one-on-one support from registered nurses and registered respiratory therapists.

"Each time you try, you learn a little more about the quitter in you. You become a little wiser about what to do and not do the next time. With each attempt, the American Lung Association is here to provide expert support and proven resources to help smokers quit," Ms. Douglas continued.  

The Quitter in You campaign is made possible though funding from Pfizer Inc.

About the American Lung Association

Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association, a Charity Navigator Four Star Charity and holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.LungUSA.org.

(1) American Lung Association. Trends in Tobacco Use. February 2010.  http://www.lungusa.org/finding-cures/our-research/trend-reports/Tobacco-Trend-Report.pdf.  Accessed January 17, 2011.

(2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2000. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2002;51(29):642–5.  

(3) American Lung Association.  Research Highlights.  

(4) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity Losses — United States, 2000–2004. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. November 14, 2008; 57(45):1226–28.   http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5745a3.htm.  Accessed January 12, 2011.

SOURCE American Lung Association