Team Little Rock members will have extra support to quit tobacco use Monday during the base’s observance of the Great American Smokeout.
An information booth will be set up in the fitness center lobby from 8 to 9 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m., said Kim Dean, 19th Aerospace Medicine Squadron health promotion educator.
“We’re going to show the hazards of tobacco use and inform people about our tobacco cessation program,” Ms. Dean said.
“Quit kits” will be handed out to encourage tobacco users to kick the habit. Kits include an information booklet, bookmark and chewing gum.
The goal is to go 24 hours without using tobacco, said Ms. Dean.
“We’re hoping people will think ‘If I can do it for 24 hours, then maybe I can do it for 48 or even 72 hours or more ... maybe this is something I can really do,’” she said.
Ms. Dean also said staying a “quitter” is the most difficult part of snuffing out tobacco use.
“Many of our Airmen may quit before they deploy, but with the level of stress [in the area of responsibility] they start back,” she said. “People are successful at quitting, but ‘staying quit’ is a difficult task. For some individuals, it may take three to 10 times before they can actually quit and ‘stay quit.’”
Team Little Rock’s observance of the Great American Smokeout is for all three wings including all active-duty Airmen, retirees and their families. Even non-users can participate.
“[Non-users] can do things such as adopt a smoker or encourage someone to quit smoking, dipping or chewing,” said Ms. Dean.
Statistics show nearly a third of the base population use tobacco products.
“Tobacco usage on Little Rock Air Force Base is 29.3 percent (approximately 4,000) from metrics reported from the dental clinic,” said Ms. Dean.
The national observance of the Great American Smokeout is Thursday.
For more information or tips on quitting smoking and chewing, visit www.ucanquit2.org.
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