Special Article - November 2008Research to practice: CDC targets older smokers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took the lead in preparing a new report about smoking. It notes that of the 45 million people who smoke cigarettes in the United States, about 13 million are age 50 or older. Yet, according to the United States Public Health Service, older smokers make up 68 percent of all deaths from tobacco smoking.
“The single best step that smokers can take to protect their health—and that of nonsmoking family members—is to quit smoking,” says Matthew McKenna, director of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health.
Another interesting fact in the latest report is that 57 percent of smokers 65 and older indicate they want to quit.
With so much interest in quitting,
why is it so hard for older adults to stop smoking?
Older smokers are likely to be longtime tobacco users. This, when combined with other life changes that can come with aging—losing a spouse, retiring from a career, coping with health challenges—makes changing a longtime behavior very difficult.
There is an abundance of information about the fact that smoking is not just a physical addiction but involves complex psychological, psychosocial, and emotional components. All of these factors make smoking cessation difficult in spite of the desire to stop.
As a family member, friend, neighbor, or health professional, you can be a key influencer in helping someone to “kick the habit.” As we celebrate “The Great American Smokeout” November 20, I would encourage you to adopt an older smoker (or any smoker) and see if you can help him/her stop for just one day. The success of that one-day experience can lead to additional steps that will result in smoking cessation. The health benefits to “quitters” are immediate and dramatic in regard to improved health and quality of life, regardless of the age of the smoker.
For additional ideas and support go to www.lungusa.org.
© 2008 Touchmark