Statewide Iowa (RI) – Thursday is the American Cancer Society’s 49th annual Great American Smokeout, as Iowa smokers are encouraged to give up the routine for at least this one day, or to make a plan to quit.
Studies find the majority of smokers wish they could quit, but it’s a difficult habit to break. Jackie Cale, Iowa government relations director for the society’s Cancer Action Network, says there are plenty of reasons to give up the smokes.
When the state legislative session opens in January, Cale says her organization plans to lobby lawmakers to boost state taxes on all tobacco products.
If the tax hike were to pass, she says it would generate an estimated 82-million dollars a year for the state, money that could be pumped back into Iowa’s tobacco cessation and control programs.
The society’s studies find more than 5,100 people die from a smoking-related disease in Iowa every year.
The Great American Smokeout is a day for people who use any form of tobacco, including e-cigarettes or nicotine pouches, to create a plan to quit. Free resources on quitting can be found by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW or by visiting Empowered to Quit.
