Published: November 20, 2009 12:30 am      

Make a plan to quit smoking

THE ISSUE:Smoking cessation.

OUR VIEW:Giving up tobacco will add years to your life.

OK, so maybe today isn’t the perfect day to quit smoking. For years, the experts were preaching that any day was a good day to quit, and they had annual campaigns encouraging people to give up the habit.

The campaigns raised awareness, and they led many smokers eventually to give up the habit.

Now, though, the experts are beginning to recognize that to be successful in quitting, many smokers need to do some planning. Most of us can’t just toss away that pack of cigarettes never to light up again.

Wednesday was the annual Great American Smokeout, but today is a great day to make plans to quit. The American Cancer Society says smokers who prepare to quit by lining up nicotine replacement therapy and planning how they will deal with cravings greatly increase their likelihood of success.

Check out the cancer society’s Web site for downloadable desktop helpers such as the quit clock, which allows users to pick a quit day within 30 days then counts down to the selected day with tips for each day, and the craving stopper, which helps smokers beat cravings through a fun distraction.

So what are you waiting for?

Quitting smoking is one of the most important steps anyone can take toward better health. That decision alone can lead to a lower cancer risk and a longer life.

Smokers who quit at age 35 gain an average of eight years of life expectancy. Those who quit at 55 gain about five years, and even long-term smokers who quit at 65 gain three years.

If you haven’t already plotted out your strategy to quit, today would be a great day to start.

– Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, and Kokomo Tribune