Cancer Society All Fired Up for Smokeout

Smokers throughout the nation will be asked again to quit for the day--and perhaps for life--as the American Cancer Society celebrates the 10th annual Great American Smokeout today.

The society’s San Diego County unit has scheduled events to help ensure that Southern Californians, who are less likely to smoke than people in other areas of the country, continue to light the way in this area.

Only 25% of the people in San Diego County smoke, as opposed to 35% who do so nationwide, said Dr. Ralph Fillmore, Great American Smokeout chairman. Still, that leaves almost half a million smokers in the county, and Fillmore wants to do something about that.

And it appears the society’s efforts will be successful. Based on past experience, about 80% of San Diego County’s smokers are expected to abstain from smoking today, and 10% to 15% will kick the habit for good, Fillmore said.

As a service to smokers trying to make it through the day without a cigarette, the American Cancer Society will be operating “survival stations” at local hospitals, shopping centers, Navy Exchanges, Family Fitness Centers and Longs Drug Stores. The centers will offer brochures on successful quitting, books of headless matches and, of course, cold turkey sandwiches.

Students at elementary and high schools around the county will commemorate the day with speech and poster contests, smoking clinics and the ubiquitous cold turkey sandwiches. At noon Wednesday, students released 20,000 balloons carrying anti-smoking messages.

To offer recognition to those who have quit since the Great American Smokeout was initiated 10 years ago, the cancer society is holding a “Star Quest” celebration all day at Horton Plaza. Activities will include a morning aerobics workout and seminars on health and nutrition. Tonight, actor Cliff Robertson will present awards to some prominent quitters from the fields of local government, law enforcement, sports and the media.

As always, the cancer society is hoping that the fun and frivolity of the smokeout will make a serious dent in the number of people who smoke and, correspondingly, the incidence of lung cancer.

This year, the society is trying to get smokers to quit for the health of their loved ones as well as themselves, Fillmore said. A recent study by the National Academy of Science on the effects of “second-hand” smoke found that the spouses of smokers are 30% more likely to develop respiratory ailments than are those of nonsmokers.

“People quit smoking in a light-hearted way on the Thursday before Thanksgiving,” Fillmore said. “That’s the fun part. The hard part is quitting and quitting alone.”

In addition to the private smoking cessation centers in San Diego county, smokers can learn to quit through free programs offered by the cancer society, Fillmore said.