For nearly 50 years, the American Cancer Society has hosted the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday of November, encouraging smokers to commit to long-term smoke-free lives. This event provides a platform for individuals, community groups, and health care providers to motivate participants to create quitting plans and access resources for smoking cessation.

The Smokeout originated from a 1970 event in Randolph, Massachusetts, where Arthur P. Mullaney encouraged people to give up cigarettes for a day and donate the savings to a scholarship fund. In 1974, Lynn R. Smith initiated Minnesota’s first Don’t Smoke Day. The movement gained momentum, culminating in California’s 1976 event that inspired nearly 1 million smokers to quit for a day, leading to the first official Smokeout in 1976 and its national expansion in 1977. Over the years, attitudes toward tobacco use have shifted significantly, with many public places becoming smoke-free, benefiting both non-smokers and those trying to quit.

Those interested in more information about quitting tobacco can visit the American Cancer Society’s website.