Medical Spotlight: Great American Smoke Out

Every November, the organization sets aside an entire day to encourage smokers to go the distance and finally give up smoking.

The Florida Department of Health is celebrating the 40th annual Great American Smokeout todayby reminding Floridians of Tobacco Free Florida’s proven-effective resources to help smokers quit. Clark says there’s a large number of students in Marion County middle schools who are using tobacco products, including vape pens and e-cigarettes. “The most important step is the first one: making the decision to quit”.

The Cancer Society admits that quitting smoking can be hard, but a good plan can help the smoker get past symptoms of withdrawal.

Research has shown that after just 12 hours of quitting smoking, the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal.

2 weeks to 3 months: circulation improves and lung function increases.

1 to 9 months: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia start to regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to clean the lungs and reduce infection. One in four heart disease deaths, almost one in three cancer deaths, and eight in 10 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are caused by smoking.