Great American Smokeout

-- from the pages of Parade magazine and Parade Classroom.

On Thursday, November 20, thousands of smokers across the country will take part in the American Cancer Society’s annual Great American Smokeout, by attempting to go the entire day without lighting a cigarette. Each year, smoking is responsible for more than 400,000 deaths in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 45 million adults smoke—about 21 percent of the U.S. population.

Do any of your friends or family members smoke? Do you think these people are addicted to smoking? Have they ever tried to quit? Have you ever tried to help someone quit smoking? What’s the best way to convince a young smoker to quit? What’s the best way to convince teens who don’t smoke never to try? Do you think images of people smoking, in the movies and on TV, help lead kids to smoke? Are more images in the media pro- or anti-smoking? What messages about smoking do you see in the newspaper. Share your thoughts here.

Be sure to check out the St. Petersburg Times this week to look for articles about the Great American Smokeout.