Great American Smokeout 2009 is the 34th annual event, and the ACS states it has some life-saving ramifications. The earlier a smoke quits, the longer their life will be extended. Researchers say that – smokers who quit at age 35 gain an average of eight years of life expectancy, while those who quit at age 55 gain about five years. Those waiting until 65 gain three years, but that just shows that even long-term smokers can gain years if they quit.
The Great American Smokeout 2009 website has some interesting factoids on how the cesssation of smoking can have immediate effects on your health. For example, as little as 20 minutes after quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drops. Within 12 hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
You probably didn't realize that the carbon monoxide levels in your bloodstream are higher when you smoke. Think of the fact that carbon monoxide is what kill people who commit suicide by running a car engine in an enclosed garage as you ponder joining the Great American Smokeout 2009.
According to the ACS, the Great American Smokeout 2009 came from two local events. In 1971, Arthur P. Mullaney of Randolph, Massachusetts asked people to give up cigarettes for a day and donate the money they would have spent on cigarettes to a high school scholarship fund. In 1974, Lynn R. Smith, editor of the Moticello Times in Minnesota, fostered the state's first D-Day, or Don't Smoke Day.
On November 18, 1976, the California Division of the ACS successfully had nearly 1 million smokers quit for a day. That California event marked the first Great American Smokeout, and the ACS went nationwide with the idea in 1977.
As part of the Great American Smokeout 2009, the ACS has a Quitline you can call. It doesn't appear to be limited to today, so you can fill out a form at their site and the Quitline will call you back.
There are numerous other aids for stopping smoking. Naturally, some will take advantage of Great American Smokeout 2009 to try to shop around this solution, such as this press release for a hypnosis center.
In any case, Great American Smokeout 2009 is a great day to stop smokling and improve your health. There are plenty of resources, both local and national, to aid you. Additionally, as many have said, there is nothing like the spectre of death to make someone change their life. Think about it.
Written by Michael Santo
HULIQ.com
Posted November 19th, 2009 by Michael Santo
