ALTUS - The Jackson County Tobacco Control Program, a program with Southwest Oklahoma Community Action Group Inc., and in partnership with the Jackson County Community Health Action Team (JCCHAT), recently promoted the Great American Smokeout by giving four turkeys away at United Supermarkets. United Supermarkets graciously partnered with the program by donating the turkeys for the event.

Each year since 1977, the American Cancer Society has sponsored the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday of November to help smokers quit for at least one day, in hopes they will quit forever. The 2006 Great American Smokeout will be Thursday, November 16.

“Most smokers want to completely quit smoking. The Great American Smokeout is a perfect time for tobacco users in Jackson County to practice quitting or to finally quit for good,” said Wendell Browne, chairperson of the Jackson County Tobacco Task Force. “Through the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, free expert assistance is just a phone call away.”

The Helpline provides free, personalized assistance by professional Quit Coaches. Callers enrolled in the Helpline's program work with the same quit coach throughout the quitting process. During a series of up to five telephone sessions, the coaches assist callers in developing and working through a quit plan based on their individual needs.

The Jackson County Tobacco Control Task Force coalition is one of 16 local coalitions across the state participating in the Communities of Excellence program that focuses on reducing the toll of tobacco in Oklahoma. Tobacco use is Oklahoma's leading preventable cause of death, killing about 5,700 Oklahomans each year - more than AIDS, alcohol, illegal drugs, murders, suicides, and auto accidents combined. The Communities of Excellence program is funded through a grant from the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust.