Great American Smoke Out is Thursday
Nov. 18, 2002
KALAMAZOO -- Sindecuse Health Center encourages all members of the Western Michigan University community to participate in the annual Great American Smoke Out Thursday, Nov. 21. For 26 years, the day has helped spotlight the dangers of tobacco use, and helped countless smokers make the decision to quit.
The American Cancer Society offers the following information about smoking in the U.S.
- An estimated 47 million adults smoke.
- The direct medical costs associated with smoking exceed $50 billion.
- One-half of all smokers will die of smoking related illnesses such as cancer and emphysema.
- Lung cancer is the #1 cause of cancer death among both men and women.
- More than 80 percent of lung cancers result from smoking.
For more about the Great American Smoke Out, visit the American Cancer Society Web site at <www.cancer.org>.
Sindecuse offers personal assistance through its Nicotine Dependence Recovery Program for WMU employees and students who want to quit smoking. The health center offers easy access to supportive resources to help faculty, staff and students stop smoking and stay tobacco-free. Personal appointments are available Mondays from 9 to 11 a.m. and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule a personal session, call 387-3290.
Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thomas.myers@wmich.edu