Published: November 17, 2008 10:03 am      

County health department, coffee shop team up on Smokeout

Thursday is the 33rd Great American Smokeout, and the American Cancer Society continues its legacy of providing free resources to help smokers quit.

In honor of the event, staff from the Pittsburg County Health Department will be at Harbor Mountain Coffee Shop at 7 that morning to offer cessation services to individuals who are interested, according to Robyne Lindley, coordinator of the Tobacco Prevention Program of the Pittsburg County Health Department.

“We will have a display of 16 pair of shoes to represent the number of Oklahomans who die every day from tobacco related diseases to encourage people to quit. We are also providing coffee sleeves with information on how to quit the tobacco habit,” Lindley said.

Harbor Mountain Coffee Shop is at the southeast corner of Wyandotte Avenue and Third Street.

“Our staff will have a table set up to refer people to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline as well. For those individuals who do sign up we will include their name in a drawing for a free prize,” she added.

The Great American Smokeout was inaugurated in 1976 to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for one day. Now, 44.2 percent of the 45.3 million Americans who smoke have attempted to quit for at least one day in the past year, and the Great American Smokeout remains an opportunity to encourage people to commit to making a long-term plan to quit for good.

If you smoke, make a plan and set the Great American Smokeout, Thursday, as your quit date. By calling the American Cancer Society Quitline® at (800) 227-2345, people who plan to quit will be able to speak with a trained counselor and receive free, confidential counseling.

The American Cancer Society offers other free resources – through Quitline and at www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans.