State Health Officials Seek Quitters as Part of Great America...( Search for Eight Video Bloggers P...),Health

Search for Eight Video Bloggers Part of Innovative Tobacco Cessation Campaign

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of the Great American Smokeout(R), Pennsylvania is searching for eight residents who are willing to document their attempts to quit using tobacco on a video blog.

The American Cancer Society's annual event, held on the third Thursday in November, urges smokers to quit for a day in the hope that they will stop using tobacco for good.

"Pennsylvanians who are looking for support in their effort to give up tobacco should call the Department of Health's toll-free Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW," said state Health Secretary Dr. Calvin B. Johnson. "Tobacco users who try to quit are more successful if they have a support mechanism in place."

In addition to the Quitline, the department offers support information through http://www.health.state.pa.us/quitnow. Dr. Johnson noted that it can take as many as seven attempts before a tobacco user is successful in his or her effort to quit.

With the help of the department's tobacco prevention and control program, the number of smokers in the state fell by more than 300,000 from 2002 to 2006.

The video blogger project marks the latest effort in Pennsylvania's ongoing tobacco prevention and control campaign designed to encourage individuals to quit -- or not start -- using tobacco products and to curb the sale of tobacco to minors. The bloggers will share their personal stories and be part of a new initiative to raise awareness of local support resources, help individuals to develop their own quit plans and ultimately help to reduce the number of people who use tobacco products in Pennsylvania.

The video blogger project will allow real people to help others find the courage, support and strength to make a quit attempt and stop using tobacco products. Tobacco users interested in makin
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