SMOKERS OFFERED PLACE TO START ... THAT IS, TO STOP

Sometimes a break is all it takes. That's the idea of the Great American Smokeout, celebrated across the nation today. The 24-hour break from smoking is meant to call attention to the dangers of this habit and raise public awareness about the benefits of extinguishing it. While 50 million Americans still smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products, momentum is on the side of anti-smoking forces. Public sentiment and mounting evidence of health hazards make the Smokeout an endeavor of increasing relevance.

The Smokeout is sponsored each November by the American Cancer Society, an organization that witnesses, in an ongoing fashion, the harm that comes from tobacco use. Smoking is a leading cause of cancer, as well as many heart and respiratory diseases. The statistics are staggering: an estimated 161,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year. Cigarette smoking has been linked to 83 percent of all lung cancer cases.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stands behind statistics that indicate people who smoke cigarettes run a greater risk of premature death than those who don't. By age 65, 28 percent of smokers die, compared to 11 percent of non-smokers.

Without overly dramatizing the matter, the Smokeout is about saving lives. Simply put, quitting pays. Health and Human Services research shows that 10 years after quitting, the death rate of former smokers is about the same as those who never smoked.

Beyond the risk to personal health, there is a convincing case that smoking puts others in jeopardy, both in terms of wellness and finance. Studies continue to show the detrimental effects of so-called second-hand smoke, inhaled by non-smokers living or working around persons with a tobacco habit. Because of this, many public facilities and businesses are making the switch to smoke-free environments. In addition, smoking hits all people in the pocketbook; the Office of Technology Assessment has estimated that cigarette smoking costs the economy $65 billion annually in health care and lost productivity.

To an extent, education is important to this effort, particularly for young people. The local Vision 2000 effort included a Smoke-Free Class of 2000 in its plans, hoping students who graduate at the end of this century will have steered clear of tobacco. Beyond that, however, the word has gone out loud and clear, on cigarette packs and printed advertisements: smoking is dangerous. Smokers understand that and ignore the warnings. Their education is hard-won.

The Great American Smokeout provides a place for people to start ... or rather, to stop. Kicking the tobacco habit isn't easy. Still, the numbers are compelling to do so. The reward of a longer life should be incentive enough.