Today marks the 31st annual Great American Smokeout.

The Smokeout is a nationwide effort by the American Cancer Society to promote the harms of smoking and to provide support to those interested in quitting.

“It’s been an ongoing campaign since 1977,” said Marcy Zanellato, director of health education at the DeKalb County Health Department. “The idea is to encourage people to stop smoking. The Smokeout is a great avenue to let people know there are resources out there that are available to them to help kick the habit.”

One of those resources is the Illinois Tobacco Quitline, a free and confidential phone support service designed by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the American Lung Association to aid people in the quitting process.

“We really like to promote the Quitline,” Zanellato said. “It’s a free service with Mayo [Clinic]-trained respiratory nurses and specialists who can help tailor a plan for an individual.”

NIU’s Department of Health Enhancement is also available to provide information and support to students year-round. Students can call to schedule an appointment with a staff member or stop in to pick up a “Stop Smoking Quit Kit.”

“I never look at relapse as failure,” said Mary Strohm, health educator for Health Enhancement. “Realistically, it takes most people more than one try to be successful before they’re finally smoke-free for good.”

Cherylee Darneille, registered nurse with the American Lung Association Helpline, said researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found an estimated 438,000 premature deaths occur each year as a result of direct smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke. The benefits of smoking cessation include decreased risk of lung disease, heart disease, stroke, cancer and emphysema.

“We know from statistics provided by the American Cancer Society that more people decide to quit smoking on this day than any other day of the year,” Zanellato said. “The word has gotten out. People are trying to quit and this brings them one step closer to being successful.”

Nationally, smoking is responsible for one of every five deaths, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health Web site.

Zanellato said support from friends, family and services like the Quitline are important when taking on such a dramatic lifestyle change.

“It’s an even tougher addiction for people to overcome then heroin or cocaine,” Darneille said. “Nicotine, as a drug, causes a greater level of dependency and tolerance in the body. Getting information about quitting and a support system are the best way to address smoking cessation.”

Interested in quitting? Call: 1-866-QUIT-YES

Medications to help cease smoking:

Over the counter:

Nicotine gum

Nicotine patch

By prescription:

Bupropion SR

Chantix

Nicotine inhaler

Nicotine nasal spray

Zyban

SOURCE: Illinois Department of Public Health Web site and Mary Strohm, health educator for NIU’s Health Enhancement.