Published on November 15, 2022
Weld County, Colorado — The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) recognizes the Great American Smokeout (GASO) on November 17 as an opportunity to take an important first step toward living healthier, nicotine-free lives. GASO is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and takes place every third Thursday of November. This day can look like many things for many people. For some, it's marked in calendars as the day they will officially quit using tobacco-related products. For others, it's a day to reflect and think about quitting. It can even be a day for those who don’t use nicotine products to encourage loved ones to consider quitting or to connect people to quit services.
The most recent Weld County Community Health Assessment (CHA) data shows overall tobacco use (not including e-cigarettes) has decreased by 27% since 2019 (from 15% to 11%) but the percent of adult residents who reported vaping/using e-cigarettes has increased from 3.8% in 2019 to 4.6% in 2022. Vaping and tobacco use is highest among young adults aged 18-34 years old. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking remains the single greatest preventable cause of illness and death.
Nicotine is one of the strongest addictive chemicals, making quitting tobacco challenging but not impossible. Quitting requires commitment, a plan, and support. Research shows people who use 2 or more of the following strategies are more successful in their quit attempt:
A nicotine addiction cannot be kicked in one day, but it starts with one day. Make that day November 17, 2022, and commit to quitting for 24 hours. For more information and resources to help you quit or coquitline.org, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), or go to the Weld County Tobacco Education and Prevention program webpage.