I don’t know who is responsible for creating the national days, weeks and months. I don’t know what makes them official or who the authority is for these days of awareness/action, but one thing is clear: November is sending a strong message to tobacco users.
I think November is a fitting month for a discussion about tobacco use.
For one, it starts getting cold! I imagine that many smokers pause this time of year to examine their readiness to kick the habit. And thinking about quitting is a great start-really! Taking action follows thoughtful planning, so if you have at least thought about quitting-congratulations!
The Thanksgiving holiday is an opportunity to reflect on the things that we are grateful for; health, family, prosperity…….all of which are compromised by tobacco dependency.
The New Year’s Resolutions season is upon us. It should come as no surprise that quitting usually tops the list for smokers/tobacco users. I am often heard telling customers that “In order to become a nonsmoker you must be perfect at quitting smoking. Being perfect at anything requires practice.” If you start a plan for quitting now, you will have a couple of months of practice before the New Year arrives.
I understand that “awareness” doesn’t itself seem to make a difference. But the type of awareness that November brings to major issues/illness (incl. lung cancer) associated with nicotine use prompted me to write this post. If this post prompts some thought which later leads to action, then “awareness” is, in fact, the catalyst to behavior change. Don’t let lung cancer, disease or disability be your catalyst.
Any day, month or week is a perfect time for a discussion about quitting tobacco and nicotine products, but why not follow the energy that November is putting out there????
