Visit the Great American Smokeout Page on the Aitkin County Website!

http://www.co.aitkin.mn.us/Departments/Human-Svcs/Public-Health/GASmokeout2010.html

Great American Smokeout: CHALLENGE and EVENT

GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT CHALLENGE

The Great American Smokeout is November 18^th.  Public Health is challenging every tobacco user in Aitkin County to make the Commit to Quit on November 18, 2010.  We are challenging other Quitters to blog with Jody, former smokers to offer tips and advice on the blog, and everyone to offer support to all of those Proud to Quit in 2010!

Riverwood HealthCare, and SHIP (the State Health Improvement Project), the American Lung Association and Medica will be joining us and co-sponsoring a Commit to Quit  Event at Riverwood HealthCare on November 18^th.  Registration displays for the event will be placed around the county.  If you are not able to join the party, you may fill out the registration form and have an information packet sent to you with tips for quitting, information about online programs, health plan services, services for the uninsured and underinsured, prescription therapies and nicotine replacement therapies.  A general overview of this information will be covered in local newspapers.

E-mail Stacey Ruschmeier, Public Health Educator, if you would like to assist by putting another face to the Commit to Quit and publicly blog with Jody during your quitting process.

Good luck on your endeavors!

Hello all! Just thought I would open this by letting everyone know a little bit about myself. I am a 50 year old female who has been smoking for approximately 34 years (yeah I know started young). Never really had any interest in quitting until the last year or so. I did once quit for a year but then started up again. Not sure why I did that but I did. DUMB!! I am a pack to pack and a half a day smoker. I am going to make that a no pack a day smoker. My method of quitting (hold on to your hats everyone), cold turkey (except for my straws and sunflower seeds). Well, do I sound confident? Good because I am confident that I have a number of people showing support and willing to help me when I get to out of hand. My marked day to quit smoking is November 18th and I will be blogging everyday to let everyone know how the progress is going, my thoughts and thanking God that I didn't kill someone on that day. Thank you all for your support and see you all soon.

News Release!

GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT CHALLENGE:

Commit to Quit by 2011

Any adult in our country today can tell you the dangers of smoking.  Cancer, heart disease, chronic respiratory illness, emphysema.  These are also the dangers of second hand smoke.  But, smoking isn’t a personal life choice for everyone who smokes.  For many, it is an addiction that they despise.  The majority of smokers want to quit.  The addiction doesn’t care what walk of life you are from, how intelligent you are, whether or not you want to quit, or what your job is.  The nicotine addiction is as strong as the addiction to heroine or cocaine.  But like other addictions, nicotine can be beat.

There are many tools available to assist in this fight: online tools and coaches, health plan telephone coaching, nicotine replacement therapy, available free through Quit Plan to those who do not have insurance, and Zyban, Wellbutrin and Chantix prescriptions.  There are also alternative approaches: acupuncture and hypnosis.  Public Health will be sharing those tools with you over the next couple of weeks, so that by November 18^th, smokers who want to quit can join  in the Commit to Quit for the Great American Smokeout.

The Aitkin Independent Age  will be running the stories of former smokers who beat the addiction. Public Health’s own Jody Philipp will blog her experience at acgreatamericansmokout.blogspot.com, as she makes the Commit to Quit on November 18^th and journeys through the quitting process with the aim of being done with tobacco by 2011.  Information about different quit alternatives are linked to the site and will be presented in the blog. The staff at Public Health is challenging other Quitters to blog with Jody, former smokers to offer tips and advice on the blog, and everyone to offer support to all of those Proud to Quit in 2010!

So, it is time. Time to take the hand up, fight the addiction, and join us in the Commit to Quit by 2011.

Blog Moderator: Aitkin Health Educator-First Post

GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT CHALLENGE

The Great American Smokeout is November 18^th.  Public Health is challenging every tobacco user in Aitkin County to make the Commit to Quit on November 18, 2010.  Leading the way is Public Health’s own Jody Philipp, who will blog her experiences right here!  We are challenging other Quitters to join in blogging, former smokers to offer tips and advice on the blog, and everyone to offer support to all of those Proud to Quit in 2010!

Public Health is working with Riverwood Healthcare Center and SHIP (the State Health Improvement Project) on planning a Commit to Quit party at Riverwood Healthcare Center on November 18^th.  More information on this will be posted later.

Keep an eye out for more information on quitting smoking in your local newspapers and interviews of former smokers in the Aitkin Independent Age!