Quitting Smoking: From the Heart, For the Heart

The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, which takes place on the third Thursday of November, is a day of raising awareness of the dangers of smoking and celebrating those who have quit or are taking the first steps on their quitting journey.

Smoking is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke. Research has shown that most adults want to quit, and about half of adults who smoke cigarettes report having tried to quit in the past year.¹

People are more likely to successfully quit smoking when they have adequate support from healthcare professionals, friends and family, and their communities. One study in 2022 showed that even a brief, 3-minute conversation with a healthcare professional improved patients' chances of being successful in quitting. Among adults who tried or successfully quit within 2 years of the 2022 study, over 38 percent received counseling or took medication when trying to quit.¹

If you have ever smoked and successfully quit, or if you have recently set off on a quitting journey, we invite you to share your experience in the polls below. Thank you for being a valuable member of CardiovascularDisease.net, and we wish you all a successful Great American Smokeout!