AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Every year on the third Thursday in November the American Cancer Society hosts the Great American Smoke Out.

Each year the Georgia Cancer Center team sets up “Commit to Quit” stations in various buildings. The goal is to make people aware of the impact tobacco has on health and to encourage people who use it to quit.

“We know that tobacco has systemic impact on multiple organs and it is the cause of disease processes that are debilitating and cause premature death. From the heart, the lungs, the vascular system, strokes, contributes to high blood pressure . These are dangerous agents that are involved in tobacco smoke,” said Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Programs and Academic Affairs, Joseph Hobbs.

“Our goal today with the Great American Smoke Out is to make available some resources for quitting tobacco, and we’re not just talking about combatable cigarettes, we’re also talking about E-cigarettes as well, and the heat not burn tobacco, electronic tobacco products, said Community Outreach Coordinator, Christine O’Meara.

“They have to recognize that their smoking behavior has impact on them it has impact on their family and friends because of second hand smoke. It also has impact on their family in the event that they become ill because of this addiction,” said Hobbs.

The Great American Smoke Out was a success.

“We’ve had a couple of people sign up for smoking cessations, and some people sign up to give resources to their church and we’ve just had a lot of folks learn about tobacco cessation efforts and what they can do quit or help a loved one quit,” said Community Program Coordinator, Mary Claire Regan.

The work isn’t done though. The Georgia Cancer Center wants to make sure it provides individuals with opportunities seek help.

“I hope, that for the Great American Smoke Out is to encourage people to quit smoking. That is the single most important thing that someone who uses tobacco can do for their own help, for the health of their family, that would be my greatest hope. That we raise awareness about the importance of number one, not using tobacco but for those people that do use tobacco, to quit,” said O’Meara.

Community Outreach Coordinator, Christine O’Meara wanted to leave a message with more ways to learn about tobacco cessation resources.