Smokers Are Urged to Quit the Habit During the Great American Smokeout

Syracuse, NY – Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. Smoking kills approximately 28,000 New York residents every year and 750,000 adult New Yorkers are living with a smoking-related illness. Today, during the Great American Smokeout, the Central New York Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems at St. Joseph’s Health urges smokers throughout the region to make a plan to quit smoking by contacting their health care providers, which will give them the greatest chance for success in quitting.

“We encourage all smokers to start their journey toward being smoke-free today,” said Kristen Richardson, Director of the CNY Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems at St. Joseph’s Health. “We know that quitting smoking is not easy; it takes time, support, and a plan. By participating in the Great American Smoke Out, you can join with thousands of people who smoke across the United States in taking a vital step toward improving your life and reducing your risk of cancer. We recognize that you don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Just start with one day.”

Those who quit smoking and vaping will have a lower risk of lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Quitting smoking is also the best way to protect family members, friends, and other loved ones from the risks associated with breathing secondhand smoke.

“Smoking and vaping weaken your immune system, making folks more vulnerable to developing infections, including COVID-19,” said Richardson. “And smokers who are infected with COVID-19 are more likely to become very sick, needing to be admitted to an intensive care unit and needing mechanical ventilation (ventilator).”

The team at Central New York Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems works with medical and behavioral health systems throughout the area to establish system-wide policies to screen for and treat tobacco dependence.

“Health care providers are in a unique and critical position to help their patients quit smoking by treating their nicotine addiction with proven and effective treatments. When health care providers treat smoking and nicotine addiction through counseling and medication, long-term abstinence rates increase dramatically. In fact, it can double or triple their patients’ chances of success.”

There are many programs in CNY that can assist tobacco users with quitting. For help quitting, the Central New York Regional Center for Tobacco Health Systems at St. Joseph’s Health encourages smokers to:

• Discuss quitting with your doctor
• Contact the New York State Smokers’ Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS or www.nysmokefree.co

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St. Joseph’s Health is a regional non-profit health care system based in Syracuse, NY. St. Joseph’s has been an innovative leader in health care since our founding in 1869 as the first hospital open to the public in the city of Syracuse. Offering primary, specialty and home care, a Magnet-recognized hospital, and collaboration with community partners, St. Joseph's Health advances the well-being of the communities we serve through an expanding range of services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. St. Joseph’s is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery and one of America’s 100 Best for Spine Surgery and Coronary Intervention according to Healthgrades. It is ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, a designated Stroke Center and a U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital.” St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Physicians, and is a member of Trinity Health. For more information, visit www.sjhsyr.org/legacy.”