The Great American SmokeOut

Good day to quit? You bet!

The American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout is more than 29 years old this year.

The Great American Smoke Out has helped to spotlight the dangers of tobacco use and the challenges of quitting, but more importantly, it has set the stage for the cultural revolution in tobacco that has occurred over this period.

Because of the efforts of individuals and groups that have led anti-tobacco efforts, there have been significant landmarks in the areas of research, policy and the environment.

An estimated 47 million adults in the United States currently smoke, and approximately half will die prematurely from smoking. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and women, and this year alone, there will be about 169,500 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. More than 80 percent of lung cancers are thought to result from smoking.

The American Cancer Society's Great American Smoke Out event grew out of a 1971 event in Randolph, Mass., in which Arthur P. Mullaney 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.

The first national Great American Smoke Out was held in 1977.

This year on November 18th, 2010, Starr County Youth Coalition along with other RGCCISD schools will celebrate the Great Amercian Smokeout by rallying outside Ft. Ringgold Main Campus.  Please join us in sending the message that tobacco is a national health issue.
TIME: 10:00 A.M.

For more info. contact Sandra Garza at 716-1795.