Of the various initiatives taken to make smokers give up the habit, can the Great American Smokeout have a positive effect? According to experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most adults in the U.S have apparently intended to quit smoking.
More than half of smoking adults tried to let go the habit of smoking, as stated in the report. About 68.8% of adults presently smoking wished to quit and almost 52.4% of adult smokers tried to cease the habit in the previous year. Reportedly, about 48.3% smokers who visited a health care professional were guided into quitting the practice while 31.7% underwent counseling and medications last year.
“More than two thirds of smokers want to quit smoking and more than half tried to quit last year. Smokers who try to quit can double or triple their chances by getting counseling, medicine, or both. Other measures of increasing the likelihood that smokers will quit as they want to include hard–hitting media campaigns, 100 percent smoke–free policies, and higher tobacco prices,” specified CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.
According to the professionals, suitable health care settings along with workplaces and public smoke-free avenues provide smokers an additional motivation to quit smoking. As far as the health care industry is concerned, doctors ought to provide extensive insurance coverage for the same. Also, counseling and medication are likely to raise the chances of successful cessation by 2 folds.
This analysis is part of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and coincides with the Great American Smokeout to be observed on November 17.