Ithaca College

The third Thursday in November is the date of The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. They encourage smokers to use this date (NOVEMBER 20, 2014) to plan in advance to quit smoking THAT day! We want to take this time to follow The American Cancer Society’s plan within our Ithaca College community. If you are a smoker looking for motivation, use this time and start toward a healthier YOU!

DID YOU KNOW?

• 20 minutes after quitting– your heart rate and blood pressure drop
   
• 12 hours after quitting– the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal
   
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting– your circulation improves and your lung function increases
   
• 1 to 9 months after quitting– coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia start to regain normal function in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean lungs, and fight infections
   
• 1 year after quitting– excess risk of coronary heart disease is half of a continuous smoker’s
   
• 5 years after quitting– risk of cancer of mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half and stoke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker

SO WHAT?

1. Set a quit date (Hint: November 20, 2014)

2. Tell family and friends your plan to quit

3. Anticipate and plan for challenges while quitting

4. Remove cigarettes and other tobacco from your home, car, and work

5. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about quit options

Also, look for more information on the Work/Life Blog, Mind Body Me Facebook Page and EAP page for tools and resources! 

We look forward to hearing about your success stories!