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The Great American Smokeout Urges End Of Tobacco Use

Freshman Roxana Bonachea gives a flier on quitting tobacco to a student. Volunteers and UF faculty and staff manned tables on campus for the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 20.
Freshman Roxana Bonachea gives a flier on quitting tobacco to a student. Volunteers and UF faculty and staff manned tables on campus for the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 20.

Smoking. Chewing. Dipping.

Tobacco-Free Task Force and the University of Florida partnered to inform tobacco users the perils of the plant.

The daylong Great American Smokeout shared information and tools on how to quit tobacco use. Volunteers and UF faculty and staff handed out educational materials around campus about the services available to smokers at UF on Nov. 15.

The University of Florida Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program and GatorWell Health Promotion Services partnered with various organizations to provide free and discounted medication and counseling to help UF staff, faculty, students and their families quit using tobacco.

Kathy L. Nichols Associate, director of Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) manned a table in UF's Plaza of the Americas to inform people about the dangers of tobacco use.

"We're encouraging people to make a quit attempt, and we're going to be able to provide to them any of the services that they need to help them," Nichols said.

The American Cancer Society marks the third Thursday of November as the Great American Smokeout. On this day tobacco users are encouraged to not smoke for a day and make plans to quit and take steps toward a healthier life.

Kali is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.