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November 20, 2009

Kicking the habit

Area volunteers encouraged people to get healthy during Thursday’s Great American Smokeout.

By TRAVINA COLEMAN



HULBERT — Twenty years ago, people who wanted to quit smoking tobacco had to endure the transition with white knuckles.

Since that time, many resources have become available to those looking to kick the habit – like inhalers, help lines, cessation classes, nicotine patches and gum.

For Lisa Lillard, it’s all about the mindset of the person who wants to quit.

And that’s one thing Lillard says the smoker needs, no matter how much help is out there.

“You have to have it in here to quit,” she said, pointing to her head. “Without that will and determination, it just won’t happen. You have to be mentally fed up with it.”

Lillard has been smoke-free for three years. She said signing up for a cessation class is what got her on the path to nicotine freedom.

“I took the class and I called the quit hotline number,” she said. “The counselors are all certified psychologists and former smokers themselves. That really helped, knowing they knew what I was dealing with.”

She is now a member of the Cherokee County Tobacco Control Coalition, an organization worked with the American Cancer Society to support the 34th Great American Smokeout.

Carol Choate was the Community Excellence coordinator for the event, which was celebrated Thursday. But the effort will continue all year-round.

“Our purpose is to eliminate second-hand smoke and prevent the youth from accessing tobacco,” Choate said. “We are also promoting the help line. We are trying to reduce the influence of tobacco companies and keep them from getting new smokers.”

Lillard said the statistics are alarming.

“Sixteen people die every day from tobacco-related illness,” she said. “And that’s just in Oklahoma.”

Every year on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the Great American Smokeout by smoking less or quitting for a day.

Sites were set up at different Cherokee County locations, including the Cherokee Nation Casinos in Tahlequah and Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation Hastings Indian Medical Center, Tahlequah City Hospital, Northeastern State University and Keetoowah Cherokee Casino.

Choate said more than 150 smokers signed up to participate in the annual event. Hulbert doubled the number signed up from last year.

“That’s a good number,” she said. “It’s up from last year. Seventeen of those who signed up also signed up for cessation classes.”

The group distributed free cessation kits designed to help the challenge of quitting throughout the day.

The kits included literature from the Oklahoma Tobacco Helping and the American Cancer Society with local cessation class schedules. Other treats were a couple of plastic straws, some gum, a sugar-free hard candy and a piece of fruit.

Choate wanted people to know the organization isn’t looking to single out smokers.

It’s about public health,” she said.

“That’s what’s important.”

Check it out

Tobacco users can quit, and the Cherokee County Tobacco Coalition can offer support in reaching that goal. For more information, call Lu at (918) 453-5260, or Carol at (918) 931-8161.

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