The 34th annual Great American Smokeout

Thursday, Nov. 19 marks the American Cancer Society’s 34th annual Great American Smokeout, a day that encourages smokers nationwide to take the first steps to quitting for a lifetime. According to ACS’s Great American Smokeout Web site, the event has its origins in 1974 with “D-Day,” or Don’t Smoke Day,” spearheaded by Lynn R. Smith, editor of the Monticello Times in Minnesota. It quickly caught on. On Nov. 18, 1976, the ACS persuaded almost a million smokers in California to stop smoking for a day, marking the first Great American Smokeout, which rapidly expanded across the nation the following year.

When it comes to recent initiatives to control cigarette smoking, New York has certainly been on the ball. Back in 2002, the debut of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Smoke-Free Air Act, which enforced smoke-free environments in virtually all business and establishments, marked the beginning of an ongoing anti-tobacco crusade in the city. While the act was a literal breath of fresh air for some, it also incited much public protest from many others. Now, Bloomberg’s new goal to ban smoking in parks and on beaches is causing even more controversy. These new measures have made it significantly harder for smokers to continue their habit, and according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, we now have almost 350,000 fewer adult smokers in 2009 than in 2002.

Yet despite these optimistic statistics, the rise in tobacco awareness (everyone’s seen those quirky “truth” ads on MTV), and finally the gradual disappearance of places for smokers to puff away, it is nonetheless difficult to kick the habit for many reasons. First and foremost, in our current economic state, quitting is an expensive proposition for many smokers. Pharmacies devote whole sections to aid potential quitters with nicotine patches, gum, and various other drugs. Other companies offer pricey therapy, hokey 12-step programs, even hypnosis for those having the most difficulty. All these costs add up and easily exceed the cost of cigarettes themselves, and despite the investment being short-term as opposed to the long-term cumulative cost of smoking, it is nonetheless a deterrent. That is why, in support for the Great American Smokeout this week, New York clinics are handing out free nicotine patches and gum on Thursday all around the city. It’s a great start for those who have been contemplating making the jump and have been hesitant to take the first step.

There are also other ways to curb the costs of quitting. It is always helpful to check with your insurance policy, as a majority of insurers provide full coverage for some form of smoking cessation treatment, and many workplaces offer quit-smoking or wellness programs as well. Quitters should take advantage of free counseling and support services run, amongst others, by the ASC, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. In addition, the free national quit line at 800-QUIT-NOW automatically connects you to a specialist in your state who will discuss formulating a personal plan with you and direct you to local free or low-cost support groups. More information about quitting will also be offered at ACS/Relay for Life tables on campus in Barnard Hall and on Lerner ramps on Thursday.

For a lot of us, it’s hard to imagine a smokeless New York City or to envision Holly Golightly without her iconic cigarette holder, and undoubtedly, others simply can’t. Bloomberg might be determined, with good intention, to eliminate tobacco fumes from our public spaces, but that certainly won’t happen without a fight from many opinionated New Yorkers. The facts on the effects of tobacco are already out there—Bloomberg’s health commissioner, Thomas Farley, said that cigarettes continue to kill more than 7,000 New Yorkers every year and ACS statistics show that lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in both men and women. Then there are those large warnings on cigarette ads and packages that are impossible to ignore. Yet ultimately, quitting smoking is a personal choice. The Great American Smokeout provides a great opportunity and plenty of resources for smokers to weigh their options, or even just try a day without cigarettes. For those ready to quit, there is no better time to set their plans in motion. New Yorkers might not like being told what to do, but we certainly approve of trying something new for ourselves.

The author is a Columbia College first-year.