Great American Smokeout

The Great American Smokeout is an annual event in the United States to encourage Americans (of whom 45.8 million smoke) to quit tobacco smoking. The American Cancer Society held it's first [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/subsite/greatamericans/smokeout.asp Smokeout] in 1977. The event challenges people not to smoke cigarettes for 24 hours, hoping their decision to quit will last forever.

It is held annually on the third Thursday in November.

The event evolved from a series of events.
* In 1971, in Randolph, Massachusetts, Arthur P. Mullaney suggested people give up cigarettes for a day and donate the money to a local high school.
* In 1974, a "Don't Smoke Day" (or "D-Day") was promoted by Lynn R. Smith of the "Monticello Times" in Monticello, Minnesota.
* On November 18, 1976, the California Division of the American Cancer Society successfully prompted nearly one million smokers to quit for the day. That California event marked the first Smokeout.
*

ee also

* World No Tobacco Day

External links

* [http://www.cancer.org American Cancer Society]
* [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/ped_10_4.asp ACS Great American Smokeout page]
* [http://www.QuitForYou.org QuitForYou.org]
* [http://www.mahalo.com/Great_American_Smokeout Great American Smokeout - Mahalo]
* [http://www.preventionpartners.com/events/great_american_smokeout.cfm Prevention Partners Great American Smokeout page]
* [http://www.archive.org/details/tobaccoarchives UCSF Tobacco Industry Videos Collection]
* [http://whyquit.com/pr/111007.html WhyQuit's Great American Smokeout Cold Turkey Quitting Tips]