The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) is encouraging residents who use tobacco to use Tobacco Free Florida’s free tools and services to make a plan to quit smoking for the American Cancer Society’s 45th annual Great American Smokeout on Thursday, Nov. 19.The event has been observed for more than 40 years on the third Thursday in November.

Tobacco Free Florida aims to educate Floridians on the various free quit resources available in the state and support them through the process – on the Great American Smokeout and year-round.

Many Pinellas-based businesses are using the Great American Smoke-out to encourage smokers to quit for a day as well as encouraging non-smokers to give up something they love such as a special snack or treat.

Most adult cigarette smokers say that they want to quit, but quitting smoking is hard and may require several attempts. Creating a quit plan and using proven-effective resources, like Tobacco Free Florida, can significantly increase your chances of quitting smoking for good. Smokers can and do quit smoking. In fact, today there are more former smokers than current smokers in Florida.

Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program offers free Phone Quit, Group Quit and Web Quit services, in addition to individual tools like texting support, a Quit Guide and helpful emails. Free nicotine replacement therapy – nicotine patches, gum or lozenges – are available to tobacco users who are 18 or older, if medically appropriate.

For information about Quit Your Way, visit tobaccofreeflorida.com/quityourway. For information about DOH-Pinellas, go to www.PinellasHealth.com or call (727) 824-6900. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Nextdoor for the latest agency updates.

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About Tobacco Free Florida

The Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund. Since the program began in 2007, more than 212,000 Floridians have successfully quit using one of Tobacco Free Florida's free tools and services. There are now approximately 451,000 fewer adult smokers in Florida than there was 10 years ago, and the state has saved $17.7 billion in health care costs. To learn more about Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way services, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com or follow the campaign on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TobaccoFreeFlorida or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tobaccofreefla.

For more information about DOH-Pinellas, go to www.PinellasHealth.com and follow us on Twitter @HealthyPinellas.

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About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.