Great American Smokeout highlights resources to help Hoosiers quit tobacco

Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 49th annual Great American Smokeout, taking place on Thursday by continuing to thank the state legislature for standing up to Big Tobacco and by calling on Hoosiers to make a plan to quit and highlighting the free resources available.

“This year, Indiana lawmakers stood up to Big Tobacco by increasing the cigarette tax by $2 per pack as well as increasing the tax on other tobacco products,” said Allie Kast Gregg, government relations director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “As Hoosiers seek to quit tobacco, free resources are available through the American Cancer Society’s Empowered to Quit program or Quit Now Indiana.”

Hoosiers are already seeing the health benefits of the tobacco tax increases. Cigarette consumption is down 40% in the state, and the state’s Quit Now program has seen a 38% increase in enrollments.

The work to protect Hoosiers from Big Tobacco is far from over. In Indiana, tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of disease and death, and smoking is linked to at least 12 types of cancers, including lung, liver and colorectal cancers. Each year, more than 11,000 people die from a smoking-related disease in Indiana alone. Although these hazards are well-established, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that over 14.5% of adults in Indiana smoke. These products are highly addictive, and it can be difficult for people to quit using tobacco once they have started. That is why it is essential that Indiana increase funding for programs to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help those already addicted to quit. 

“Quitting smoking is hard and takes time and a plan,” said Kast Gregg. “Two-thirds of people who smoke say they want to quit and about half try to quit each year, but few succeed without help.”