American Lung Association Applauds Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking Cessation

Statement of American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer in response to the release of the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Smoking Cessation:

"Today, the Surgeon General made it clear, quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do for your health. Echoing and expanding upon the 1990 Surgeon General's Report on the Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation, today's report concluded that quitting smoking at any time in your life will improve health, improving COPD outcomes and cardiovascular health and can add as much as a decade to life expectancy.

"The American Lung Association recognizes everyone can quit smoking and end their addiction to all tobacco products. Federal and state lawmakers must put laws and policies to prevent tobacco use and to ensure everyone has access to guidelines-based quit smoking treatments. These policies should include coverage of quit-smoking treatments and adequate funding for state prevention programs and tobacco quitlines.

"The American Lung Association has helped millions of smokers quit with proven effective programs including Freedom From Smoking. Today's report underscores why it is so important to quit tobacco altogether and not switch to other tobacco products. Quitting can be hard, so when people are ready, the American Lung Association stands prepared to help them improve their health with proven support to quit.-"

Learn more about cessation at Lung.org/cessationcoverage. For media interested in speaking with an expert about tobacco cessation, contact Stephanie Goldina at the American Lung Association at [email protected] or 312-801-7629.