In observance of the Great American Smokeout (GASO), sponsored by the American Cancer Society, Tobacco Free Florida and Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County encourage tobacco users to make a plan to quit smoking on Thursday, Nov. 16.

The Great American Smoke Out raises awareness about the dangers of smoking and the many effective resources available to help smokers successfully quit.

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Florida and the U.S.On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.For every person who dies, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness. About 30 percent of cancer deaths in Florida are caused by cigarette smoking.Smoking not only affects one’s health, it also impacts individuals financially. A pack-a-day smoker in Florida can spend more than $2,100 in just one year and more than $10,500 in five years.

Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program makes it easier than ever for tobacco users to access free tools and services to help them quit. More than 159,000 Floridians have successfully quit tobacco using one of these free services. For more information, please visittobaccofreeflorida.com/quityourway.

Smokers can also access Tobacco Free Florida’s online Cost Calculator to find out how much money they could save by quitting attobaccofreeflorida.com/calculator.