The Health Promotion Office (HPO) has taken the opportunity to help support the American Cancer Society (ACS) in its effort to help people to quit smoking.

Thursday, Nov. 20 is the 32nd annual Great American Smokeout, a day created to encourage smokers to unite and give up the habit for a single day.

Lenny Shible, head of the HPO, talks highly of the Great American Smokeout, for it can give people the opportunity to think about quitting.

“Any day is a good day to quit,” Shible said.

The Smokeout will be raising awareness at NMU. The point of the event is to challenge people to not smoke for one day. The Great American Smokeout will offer ways to help individuals strive for success and attempt to defeat the challenging addiction.

Though, the task may seem unbearable to most smokers, people who begin to think about quitting are cheered for by those around them who wish to see them stop smoking, always being encouraged to never give up, Shible said.

The Great American Smokeout began on Nov. 18, 1976 in Minnesota, where the first “D-Day (Do not Smoke Day)” took place. The idea was driven by a magazine editor named Lynn R. Smith. The D-Day dealt with challenging people to resist the addiction of smoking for one day. Over a million people gave up smoking for that one day, according to the ACS.

Following her attempts, the ACS had the event become a nation-wide event the following year.

According to the Smokeout Web site, the event has even helped with allowing restaurants to become smoke-free by providing smoke-free literature.

The day is also there for non-smokers who are aware of addicted friends or family. It will offer a variety of ways on how to give advice on quitting.

“Often times, the hardest step is the first step, in terms of how to change the behavior of an individual. The Smokeout gives an individual the opportunity to make that initial first step,” Shible said.

All the messages coming from the event are directed toward smokers in a positive way. It is essential to notice the harm a cigarette presents to the individual and how every cigarette inhaled puts the individual, on a line closer to cancer, Shible said.

“Learning how to quit smoking is a process. Depending on the individual it can be a difficult one. This event will be helping students, faculty, and staff view the road to a new positive outlook on the idea to quit smoking for the better of their lives,” said Shible.

For more information visit the HPO in the bottom floor of the University Center or contact the HPO at (906)-227-1455.