New Smoking Cessation Campaign in Sacramento Offers Support for the "Quitter in You"

American Lung Association in California and Anthem Blue Cross Partner to Help Smokers Quit

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association in California and Anthem Blue Cross are supporting smokers in Sacramento in their efforts to quit for good through the "Quitter in You" smoking cessation campaign.  Anthem Blue Cross awarded the American Lung Association in California $47,000, as part of a total $1.5 million national donation to the American Lung Association in support of the program. The campaign aims to empower people trying to quit smoking by acknowledging that past quit attempts are not failures, but are normal and necessary steps along the way to quitting for good.  A survey from the American Lung Association found that six out of 10 former smokers were not able to successfully quit on their first try and required multiple attempts to quit smoking for good.

More than 3.4 million people in California, or 12 percent of the state population, smoke according to 2011 data.  A survey from the American Lung Association found that most smokers are not successful the first time they try to quit, but with each quit attempt they become a little wiser about what to do and not do the next time. The "Quitter in You" campaign aims to change the way people think about past quit attempts and motivate them to try again.  A quit attempt is defined as not smoking for at least one day with the intent of not starting again.

"The American Lung Association in California is proud to support all those battling an addiction to smoking, and reiterates that every attempt to quit is a step closer to being smokefree and healthier," said Marsha Ramos, Chair, American Lung Association in California Board of Directors. "The American Lung Association is here to provide expert support and proven resources that have helped more than one million people quit smoking for good."

The "Quitter in You" campaign features a web site at www.quitterinyou.org, radio and Out-of-Home public service announcements, and a wealth of personalized tools and support from the American Lung Association's Lung Helpline (1-800-LUNG-USA), Freedom From Smoking® Online and Freedom From Smoking® in-person clinic.  The campaign is focused in 14 target markets, including Sacramento, CA.

The following organizations are official Sacramento region Freedom From Smoking® clinic sites: Marshall Medical Center, Sonora Regional Medical Center, C.A.R.E.S. Community Health, Taurus Healthcare, Sierra County Department of Public Health, Feather River Hospital, CommuniCare Health Centers.

The "Quitter in You" campaign is also reaching Spanish-speaking communities with a Spanish-language web site (www.elganadorenti.org), radio public service announcements, Freedom From Smoking® cessation resources, as well counseling and one-on-one support from Spanish-speaking registered nurses, respiratory therapists and trained smoking cessation counselors through the Lung Helpline (1-800-LUNG-USA).

"Anthem Blue Cross is committed to helping people get healthier – and that includes quitting smoking," said Mark Morgan, chief operating officer for Anthem Blue Cross. "Our company helped lead the way as the first large insurer to cover low-dose CT scans for heavy current or former smokers in 2011, and we're proud to help fund this effort to help people kick the smoking habit."

The "Quitter in You" campaign is made possible through funding from Anthem Blue Cross. Helping more Americans quit smoking remains a top public health priority for the American Lung Association. According to the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 43 million American adults are current smokers. Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 443,000 lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of "secondhand" exposure to tobacco's carcinogens. Smoking cost the United States more than $193 billion each year, including $97 billion in lost productivity and $96 billion in direct health care expenditures, or an average of $4,446 per adult smoker.

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 or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lung.org/california. 

About Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association®. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association. Also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthJoinIn, or visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin.

Contacts:

American Lung Association in CA: Julie Lautsch, 916-585-7664, [email protected] 

Anthem Blue Cross: Darrel Ng, 916-403-0528, [email protected]

SOURCE American Lung Association in California