Great American Smoke-Out (Aired on November 14, 2021)

Tobacco contains nicotine, a more powerful addictive substance than marijuana, opium, or cocaine. Furthermore, today’s cigarettes contain many harmful chemicals in addition to tobacco. Before 1964 there was a general understanding that cigarettes are not good for health (“coffin nails” was one nickname), and in 1964 the US surgeon general’s report made this official, although a high percentage of Americans continued to smoke. Six years after the surgeon general’s report, a community in Massachusetts proposed a day without smoking, which soon grew into the Great American Smokeout, celebrated by many giving up the cigarette habit on the third Thursday in November. Dora Celestino from the Council on Addiction Prevention and Education (CAPE) visits RadioRotary for this show outlining the dangers of cigarettes, and progress since the 1970s. CAPE is better known for its work in high schools educating students about drug and alcohol addiction, but it also helps fight nicotine addiction.

Learn more:

Great American Smokeout: https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/great-american-smokeout.html

CAPE (Council on Addiction Prevention & Education of Dutchess County): https://capedc.org/

New York State Smokers’ Quitline: https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/3485.pdf

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