Great American Smoke-Out campaign set for Nov. 17

  • Published
  • By Lana Fred
  • Davis-Monthan Health and Wellness Center
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Do you think you can quit for one day? Just one?

That's all the Great American Smoke-Out campaign urges tobacco users to do! This year, the campaign takes place Nov. 17. If you participate, you will quit smoking for one day, alongside thousands of other smokers.

Are you up for the challenge?

Thirty-seven percent of male Airmen ages 18 to 25 smoke, and more than 16 percent of 18- to 24-year-old male Airmen use smokeless tobacco. And once you start using tobacco, it's hard to quit. Very few people quit tobacco the first time they try. On average, it takes eight to 11 attempts to quit successfully.

The Health and Wellness Center offers several convenient options to assist you in quitting smoking or chewing. For additional information about your options contact the HAWC at 228-2294.
If you are serious about wanting to quit, the Quit Tobacco--Make Everyone Proud website, www.ucanquit2.org, is loaded with great information and interactive support features to help you get ready to quit tobacco and stay quit.

On the site, users can develop a personalized quit plan, obtain information, listen to podcasts, find diversion tactics such as playing games and connect to Federal, military, State, local, and online cessation programs. Additionally, you can communicate privately with a trained cessation counselor via instant messenger seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

If you're a TRICARE beneficiary and not eligible for Medicare, TRICARE may cover smoking cessation counseling for you. You don't need to have a smoking-related illness to use this benefit.

· Counseling must be through a TRICARE-authorized provider.
· The provider must be working within the scope of their licensure or certification.
· Counseling may be received in any TRICARE-authorized outpatient facility, as long as the provider is TRICARE-authorized and properly certified.

For more information on quitting smoking, visit triwest.com/tobacco.

Set your quit date and stop using tobacco. You can feel proud of yourself for doing something that's good for you, for your loved ones, and for your country. Call the HAWC at 228-2294 to get more information.