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State health officials are encouraging smokers in Tennessee to participate Today in the national Great American Smokeout by quitting smoking for just one day, and perhaps to keep their efforts going for longer.
"The idea is to have people just take a step of courage and go (smoke-free) for 24 hours," said Jay Collum with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department. "Actually getting started is one of the hardest parts for most people. This (day) encourages people to try quitting with no commitment, no strings attached."
Smoke-free is the trend in Tennessee, from a one-year-old ban on smoking in most public spaces to tobacco-free hospital campuses and now a plan to ban tobacco on BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee campuses.
The Chattanooga-based health insurer announced Wednesday that, effective Jan. 1, all BlueCross campuses throughout the state will be free from smoking and other tobacco products. The company has offered smoking cessation programs and educational materials to its employees since 2007 in preparation for the change, a release said.
About 44 percent of the 45.3 million Americans who smoke have tried to quit for at least one day in the last year. But on average it takes about seven attempts for a person to quit smoking for good, Tennessee Health Commissioner Susan Cooper said.
The Great American Smokeout -- sponsored annually by the American Cancer Society since 1977 -- hopefully will inspire those smokers to give it another shot, she said.
State health officials hope events such as the Smokeout will sustain trends of declining smoking rates. Between 2005 and 2007, the adult smoking rate in Tennessee dropped from 26.7 percent to 24.3 percent, according to state statistics.
Longtime smoker Tom Moore, 34, of Cleveland, Tenn., said he knows he needs to quit, but he hasn't yet mustered the motivation to do so. Mr. Moore, a truck driver, said he didn't plan on participating in the Smokeout. But for those considering kicking the habit, he said, a smoke-free day might spur them to take the idea more seriously.
"If they were willing to put a cigarette down for 24 hours, they might as well put it down for good," he said.
To see more of the Chattanooga Times/Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesfreepress.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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