Wolf Administration Urges Pennsylvanians to Get Help to Quit Smoking at Local Great American Smokeout Events

Harrisburg, PA – Acting Health Secretary and Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine today encouraged Pennsylvanians to participate in a Great American Smokeout event near them to learn more about smoking cessation resources and to take the first step to quitting tobacco use.

“Smoking kills and these events give people the tools they need to break this dangerous addiction,” said Dr. Levine. “Quitting smoking lowers your risk for smoking-related diseases and can add years to your life. It is difficult, but we want smokers to know that help is available and the effort is worth it.”

The Department of Health has many outreach efforts dedicated to curbing tobacco use in Pennsylvania, including a telephone quitline, counter tobacco marketing, surveillance of tobacco sales to minors, and promotion of clinical-practice tobacco addiction guidelines. The department also supports the Fax to Quit Program, Young Lungs at Play, and a wide range of tobacco use statistics and reports.

Pennsylvanians interested in stopping tobacco use have access to a free “Quitline” at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DEJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) (Spanish). Trained staff will help callers develop and carry out a plan to quit smoking. One-on-one coaching, ongoing support and resources are available, including free nicotine replacement therapy in the form of patches, lozenges or gum.

The Great American Smokeout is an annual event sponsored by the American Cancer Society on the third Thursday in November each year. The observance encourages smokers to quit smoking on the day of the Smokeout – even for one day.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body and is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals; hundreds are harmful, and about 70 can cause cancer.

You can learn more about tobacco prevention and control at www.health.pa.gov, and additional information can be found on the American Cancer Society's website at www.cancer.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov

Editor’s Note - The following are the Great American Smokeout observances that the department is supporting or attending:

Northwest Pa.:

• Lawrence County Human Services is hosting a door decorating contest to create awareness about tobacco use and offered smoking cessation materials to clients and employees;
• Lawrence County Housing Authority will provide PA Free Quitline materials at each of its housing properties;
• Riverview Manor, a housing complex for individuals with disabilities in Mercer County, will put PA Free Quitline materials throughout their facility (the facility went totally smoke-free indoors as of November 1, 2017);
• The University of Pittsburgh, Bradford Campus will provide quit resources and education to students;
• Community Counseling Center in Mercer County is sponsoring a health and wellness fair with free carbon monoxide testing and smoking cessation materials for behavioral health clients, families and employees;
• The Mercer County Behavioral Health Commission is making their campus tobacco-free for the day and plans to go 100% tobacco-free in the future;
• Crawford County will host the Cold Turkey Trot, a collaborative effort between the local YWCA, United Way Kids and Titusville area schools to help smokers create a smoking cessation plan that works for them;
• The Mercer County Head Start will facilitate a smoking cessation presentation to their staff members; and
• The Erie Otters ice hockey team announced that they will provide free admission for Tobacco Resistance Unit (TRU) Youth and provide smoking cessation materials to those who attend their December 12 home game.

Southwest Pa.:

• Adagio Health, located in downtown Pittsburgh and with health care services across 23 counties in Western Pennsylvania, will offer smoking cessation resources to their employees and share quitting help resources on their Facebook page;
• Penn State Beaver is offering their students “quit kits” at the Annual Health Fair;
• Slippery Rock University is offering smoking cessation kits to all students;
• The Boscov’s in Cambria County is offering sign-up opportunities for people interested in “QuitLogix,” the online connection to the PA Free Quitline.
• The Fayette County Health Center is offering free prizes via a raffle for those who signed a pledge to quit smoking; and
• Westmoreland County Courthouse is offering informational resources to parents on secondhand smoke and its harmful effect on children’s health.

Central Pa.:

• The American Lung Association is hosting a “Freedom from Smoking Facilitator” training to teach individuals to lead cessation clinics in their own communities.

Northeast Pa.:

• Mid-Valley High School in Lackawanna County will hang posters to remember those who have lost their lives due to smoking and asked for their loss to motivate others to quit;
• East Stroudsburg North School in Monroe County will train students with Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) materials and provided smoking cessation presentations;
• Lakeland Jr-Sr High School in Monroe County will teach students about the impact of tobacco use in the community through presentations and conversation;
• West Scranton High School in Lackawanna County will provide students resources on the dangers of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco;
• Holy Cross High School in Lackawanna County set up educational displays on the hazards of smoking and had booths for TRU membership sign-ups; and
• Penn State Worthington Scranton pledged to provide educational materials to students about quitting smoking during the week of Thanksgiving.

Southeast Pa.:

• The message, "Great American Smokeout 11/16. For Help Quitting Smoking 1-800-QUIT-NOW” was featured on the PECO Crown lights building in downtown Philadelphia on November 14, 15 and today.

Allegheny County:

• The U.S. Navy Reserve Pittsburgh, NOSC, in Pittsburgh, along with Tobacco Free Allegheny, will educate sailors on smoking cessation;
• “Allegheny Quits for Life” is a continuation of a week-long series of events and communications designed to support Allegheny County residents’ efforts to quit smoking; and
• The Allegheny County Health Department will encourage participants to share messages about Allegheny Quits for Life on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram throughout this week.

Philadelphia County:

• Philadelphia Department of Public Health will host a table at an event at Methodist Hospital for disseminating resources and conducting carbon monoxide meter tests, a tool that helps smokers quit by revealing levels of toxins in their breath; and
• Philadelphia Department of Public Health will also support Great American Smokeout events at Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) sites as they enhance efforts around smoke-free multi-unit housing, building upon the tobacco-free policy passed in August 2015 for all residential units of the Philadelphia Housing Authority.

This list is not exhaustive of all Great American Smokeout events, as many entities may act independently of the department and the American Cancer Society.

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