Great American Smokeout

Each year on the third Thursday in November, the American Cancer Society sponsors the Great American Smokeout. Today, Thursday, November 19, 2020 marks the 45th year the American Cancer Society has promoted the one-day event.

This is an annual social engineering event to encourage Americans to stop tobacco smoking. The Great American Smokeout challenges smokers to quit cigarettes for 24 hours with the hopes that this decision will continue forever.

There are benefits to one day without cigarettes. After just 20 minutes without a cigarette, the heart rate drops. So does the blood pressure. Twelve hours later, the body will cleanse the carbon monoxide from the last cigarette from the body.

That’s a great start. If you make it past one day, your risk of heart attack begins to decrease along with heart disease and stroke. After just one day – keep it up.

After two days, things start tasting and smelling better. That’s because your nerves are healing from the smoke damage.

Day three may be tough. The nicotine is leaving your body and symptoms of withdrawal may occur. But you can do it.

By one month, you may notice you can breathe better. The coughing is less. Your lungs may be clearer.