In today’s world we are constantly assaulted with stress all throughout the day. From our jobs to our family to our friends and every day occurrences that stack up and become overwhelming mountains. We all have our vices and ways of dealing with these stresses and for many it’s to wrap their lips around the end of a cigarette so they can inhale the smoke and exhale the problems.

However it isn’t news to anyone that cigarettes cause cancer and have been proven to increase the body’s stress levels. From changes in blood pressure to trouble breathing, that short stress free moment of smoking a cigarette is really going to make your body more stressed out in the end. There’s also the mental stress of needing to afford the cigarettes and the possible stress of needing to afford medical treatments caused by the tobacco use. Did you know smoking is responsible for 1 in 3 cancer related deaths as well as being responsible for every 1 in 5 deaths?

Tioga County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Inc. (TCCASA) has announced their collaboration with Tobacco Free Broome/Tioga in their participation in the Great American Smoke-Out (GASO), today, Thursday November 20, 2014, from 12pm-2pm. GASO is a holiday created by the American Cancer Society and it takes place on every third Thursday of the month of November.

During the Great American Smoke-Out, smokers are encouraged to put down their packs of cigarettes and pick up a pledge to stop smoking, even if it is just for one day. Participants are encouraged to drop off their tobacco products at the Owego Elks Lodge on Front St in Owego in exchange for a chance to win a Thanksgiving turkey. For every five cigarettes or tin of chew turned in you earn yourself at a chance of winning a turkey. Also, if you show proof of joining a gym during the month of November, you can earn yourself five more entries for the free turkey!

If you or a loved one has been thinking about quitting this is the perfect time. If you’re looking for more information on quitting, you can call the New York State Smokers Quit-line at 1-866-697-8487 or visit them online.

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