Great American Smokeout Nov. 15

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ATLANTA, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, is an annual event that encourages U.S. smokers to make a plan to quit, sponsors say.

The 37th annual Great American Smokeout is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 15.

Quitting smoking has immediate benefits to health at any age, including reduced risk for heart disease and certain cancers, American Cancer Society officials said.

A report on effective clinical treatments for tobacco dependence in 2008 found getting help through counseling or medications can double or triple the chances for quitting.

In 2010, a survey found nearly 2-out-of-3 adult smokers said they wanted to quit smoking, and approximately half had made a quit attempt for more than one day in the preceding year.

Additional information and support for quitting is available online at http://www.smokefree.gov or by telephone at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or 1-800-784-8669.

In addition, real stories of persons who have quit successfully can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Tips from Former Smokers website at http://www.cdc.gov/tips.