Tomorrow's the big day! Are you quitting your smoking habit?

For the past 37 years, the American Cancer Society has claimed the third Thursday of November as the Great American Smokeout. On this day, smokers are encouraged to toss their cigarettes once and for all. Ditching your smoking habit can often improve your health in just a matter of days. The longer you stay smoke-free, the more your risks for cancer, heart disease, and stroke will decrease.

Battling a nicotine addiction is challenging, but the Great American Smokeout takes advantage of one of the most effective methods of quitting. Most ex-smokers finally break free from the chains of cigarettes when they pick a future date as their "quit day," tell as many people as possible, emotionally prepare themselves in the meantime, and then a make a big deal of finally throwing those cigarettes away and not looking back.

If you're quitting tomorrow, you know you're in for some rough days. Help yourself get through them with these tips:

• Warn your family, co-workers, and friends that you might be a little on edge for a couple of weeks.
• Gather together a support system that will encourage you and provide a little tough love when you need it.
• Write out a list of why you're quitting. Keep it on hand to review whenever you need extra motivation.
• Join a smoking cessation support group or store the number of a smoking cessation hotline in your phone.

If you are trying quit tobacco, we are behind you every step of the way! Find tips for smoking cessation and more in our online health library, or call our Consult-a-Nurse® service at 1-866-442-2362 to find a support group near you.

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