Get ready to lose the habit, and become victorious over tobacco.

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society event the Great American Smokeout. The Great American Smokeout challenges people to stop using tobacco for this one day in the hope they may quit for good.

About 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. In St. Mary’s County, 25% of adults and 19% of youth are currently using tobacco products. Quitting — even for one day — has immediate and long term benefits for smokers and their loved ones.

On November 19, 2015, the Tobacco Free Living Action Team of the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership did outreach throughout St. Mary’s to celebrate the Great American Smokeout. Community members were encouraged to sign a pledge to quit smoking and were offered a free Quit-Kit to help!

Over 200 individuals were reached with these efforts!

Thank you to the following locations for participating in the Great American Smokeout:

• The St. Mary’s County Health Department
• MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital
• The College of Southern Maryland
• Walden: Anchor, Compass, Northstar, Dockside and Beacon of Hope locations
• Pathways
• Vesta
• On Our Own of St. Mary’s 
• Step N2 Recovery
• The Coffee Quarter Café
• Naval Air Station Patuxent River
• Zion United Methodist Church in Lexington Park
• Dominion Apostolic in Great Mills
• Pride of St. Mary’s Elks Lodge in Valley Lee

Thank you to the partners of the Tobacco Free Living action Team for coordinating this event locally. Special thanks to the St. Mary’s County Health Department, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, the Minority Outreach Coalition, Walden Behavioral Health,  the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions and MedStar Family Choice. 

There are many tools that can help people quit and increase their chances of staying quit. For more information visit https://healthystmarys.com/tobacco-free-living/ or call (301) 475-4330.

Great American Smokeout Materials 

• Quit Like A Champion Information Sheet
• Quit Cards (8 per page)
• Tobacco-Related Cancer Fact Sheet
• Infographic: How Does Your Body Recover After Smoking?
• Infographic: Tobacco in the Workplace