Tobacco kills thousands of Oklahomans every year. In an effort to change that, Gov. Kevin Stitt has declared Jan. 20-27, 2021, as Oklahoma Quit Week.

The OK to Quit Campaign is working to raise awareness of the free resources available to help people quit using all kinds of tobacco products.

OK to Quit is a grassroots social media campaign. Through positive messages posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, tobacco users can not only get access to the resources they need to kick the habit, but they can also receive motivational support.

“Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in Oklahoma,” said Meagan Carter, rural health improvement specialist at the Oklahoma Hospital Association with the Hospitals Helping Patients Quit (HHPQ) program.

“Tobacco kills more Oklahomans than AIDS, murder, suicide, alcohol, illegal drug use and auto accidents combined. Quitting tobacco isn’t easy, but it is possible. We want to make sure those who desire to quit, have all the right tools to be successful.”

Nearly one in five Oklahoma adults smoke cigarettes and 52.1 % of the state’s adults are exposed to secondhand smoke.

One in 10 high school students smoke in Oklahoma and 27.8 % of high school students report using e-cigarettes.

Smoking costs Oklahoma $1.62 billion in annual health care costs and $2.1 billion in lost productivity.

Free quit smoking resources can be found on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and at www.oktoquit.com.

The OK to Quit task force is a collaboration of professionals at Latinos M-POWER, Mercy, Norman Regional Health System, Oklahoma Hospital Association, OU Health, and SSM Health St. Anthony.