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Quitting encouraged, when it comes to smoking

Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

COLUMBIA/GREENE COUNTIES — Smokers nation-wide were reminded Thursday to stamp-out their cigarettes for at least 24 hours in observation of the 32nd Great American SmokeOut. The event, which was first introduced by the American Cancer Society in 1976, encouraged smokers locally as well as state-wide, earlier this week.

In Cairo, Ellsworth Slater of Slater’s Great American teamed up with the Rip Van Winkle Tobacco-Free Coalition of Greene and Columbia Counties, and removed all exterior tobacco advertising from his convenience store.

According to the coalition, young people are three times more vulnerable to advertisements than adults, and 33 percent of all youth experimentation with smoking can be directly linked to tobacco advertising and other promotional services.

In addition to helping the coalition reach its goal of reducing tobacco advertising throughout the community, Slater is also personally committed to helping his employees quit smoking by offering them a bonus of a week’s pay — if they’re successful, that is.

As a result of his commitment, the coalition sponsored a raffle at his store for three $100 gift certificates for gasoline.

The New York State Smoker’s Quitline helps smokers plan to quit, while providing eligible people with free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) patches or gum. In the past year the Quitline has fielded nearly 2,000 telephone calls, and distributed 1,200 NRT kits throughout Columbia and Greene counties.

Web-savvy quitters can access “Becoming an Ex: Re-learn life without cigarettes,” a free, interactive, online program sponsored by the American Legacy Foundation that helps smokers quit through a series of small battles, that the foundation says “feel winnable.” Not online? “Becoming an Ex” materials are also available at local Muddy Cup locations.

Struggling to quit? Columbia Memorial Hospital offers a local support group geared toward those who have experienced difficulty with past attempts.

To reach reporter Billie Dunn, call 518-943-2100 ext. 3323 or e-mail bdunn@thedailymail.net.

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