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Smokeout for a healthier life

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Justin Weaver
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  Hundreds of Airmen from the 31st Fighter Wing took the pledge to be tobacco-free for 24 hours during the Great American Smokeout Nov. 20.

The Health and Wellness Center staff, along with two life-sized cigarettes named "Ciggy," passed out information at the main gate and at the BX on the Great American Smokeout and the benefits of quitting.

The Great American Smokeout is an annual event in the U.S. to encourage Americans to quit tobacco smoking. The American Cancer Society held its first smokeout in 1977. The event challenges people not to smoke cigarettes for 24 hours, hoping their decision to quit will last forever.

"This is another way for a person to turn over a new leaf when it comes to using tobacco--a new opportunity to kick the habit," said Master Sgt. Phillip Brandley, 31st Aerospace Medical Squadron health and wellness promotion flight NCO in charge. "It is almost like a New Year's Resolution. It's a day to set a goal to quit using tobacco."

The HAWC offers tobacco cessation classes, the online resource, www.ucanquit2.org, the American Cancer Society and previous smokers and co-workers to help individuals kick the habit.

"I was hesitant about attending the smoking cessation classes at the HAWC because I didn't want to be lectured on smoking," said Tech. Sgt. Scharalene Carroll, a smoker for 27 years. "I already knew all the harmful side effects of smoking. However, my desire to be a non-smoker pushed me to sign up and go."

While it wasn't easy for Sergeant Carroll to quit, she's thankful for the support of her daughter and the HAWC staff.

"Sometimes when I am driving I reach for my absent pack of smokes," she said. "I just laugh and think to myself 'you don't smoke anymore.'"

The next cessation class begins Jan. 6 and runs for six weeks from noon to 1 p.m. or from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

"We offer a class during and after duty hours to try to accommodate most people," said Staff Sgt. April Jnofinn, HAWC tobacco cessation program manager. "I also will do one-on-one sessions with anyone who cannot attend the classes, or I'll go to their work section to teach if they have at least four people wanting to do the class."

Sergeant Jnofinn and the HAWC staff hope to help curb the numbers of tobacco users at Aviano to the Air Force's goal of 12 percent or less Airmen using tobacco by 2010. Currently, the Air Force is at 23.5 percent, and Aviano is at 25.7 percent.