To the editor:

Every year, the third Thursday of November marks the Great American Smokeout (GASO), a collective day of action for smokers looking to quit. An initiative of the American Cancer Society, GASO reinforces that quitting smoking isn’t easy — it takes time, patience and a plan. The spirit behind GASO is that when smokers join together to quit, it’s a much easier lift — no one needs to go it alone.

Cigarette smoking rates continue to dip to historic lows, but even with that progress, it’s still the leading cause of preventable death and serious illness nationwide, causing more than 480,000 deaths every year. Additionally, according to the American Cancer Society, smoking greatly increases the risk of at least 12 types of cancer, and is the factor behind three in 10 cancer-related deaths. We also have definitive proof that vulnerable populations — people from low-income households, Indigenous peoples, Black and African American communities, LGBTQ communities — are more likely to smoke.

Fortunately, there are a plethora of resources available to people looking to quit. The American Cancer Society’s website offers a simple guide for taking those crucial first steps, whether it’s cigarettes, vaping products or smokeless tobacco. Learn more at bit.ly/gaso2025.

Here in New York, the NYS Quitline provides free resources as well, from patches, gum and lozenges to personal quit coaches and more. Visit nysmokefree.com or call 1-866-NY-Quits to learn more. The Quitline also has support for teens and adults looking to quit vaping — simply text DROPTHEVAPE to 88709 to receive daily supportive texts with tips on how to deal with stress and handle cravings.

In the North Country, The Heart Network and Glens Falls Hospital coordinate on the North Country Nicotine Consultants initiative, which works with healthcare providers to bolster resources to help patients quit. When a person talks to their doctor about quitting, the chances of success increase greatly. To learn more about North Country Nicotine Consultants as well as local tobacco cessation services, please get in touch with me directly by emailing hschneider@heartnetwork.org.

For this Great American Smokeout, we urge you not to try and quit on your own — there’s help out there, and we’d be glad to take this journey with you.

Hanna Schneider

Tobacco Project Coordinator

The Heart Network