Celebrate the Great American Smokeout on November 21, 2019

(November 18, 2019 Salisbury, MD) – Every year on the third Thursday of November, the Great American Smokeout challenges people who smoke to stop using tobacco for 24 hours and learn about the many tools they can use to help them quit and stay quit. Smokers across the nation use the date as the start of a long-term quit attempt or practice quitting. Smokers across the nation use the date as the start of a long-term quit attempt or to practice quitting for a day.

The American Cancer Society started the Great American Smokeout in the 1970’s. Each year, this event draws attention to the deaths and chronic diseases caused by smoking. Because of this and many other efforts in education and policy, the adult smoking rate in the United States has decreased from 15.5% in 2016 to 14.0 % in 2017 (most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

In celebration of the Great American Smokeout, the Wicomico County Health Department will offer stop smoking kits at the following Health Department locations in Salisbury: 

·       Fritz Building at 300 W. Main St.

·       Adkins Building at 801 N. Salisbury Blvd. in suites

o   102 (Case Management)

o   103 (WIC)

o   201 (Prevention and Health Communications)

o   202 (Local Behavioral Health/Adkins Conference Room)

·       Village Dental Center at 705 N. Salisbury Blvd.

·       Hurdle Building at 108 E. Main St.

The Wicomico County Health Department offers stop smoking classes every Thursday at noon in the Adkins Building. The program offers education and support as well as FREE quit smoking medications including nicotine replacement patches and lozenges or Chantix. Anyone who lives or works in Wicomico County may participate. Confidential individual counseling is also available, including for pregnant women.

Take advantage of trying to quit with thousands of others across the nation; pick up a stop smoking kit and quit for the day…it could be the first of many!

For more information about the Great American Smokeout or the stop smoking program, call (410) 334-3480 extension 17484 or connect with us on  www.wicomicohealth.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.