Every third Thursday in November is marked by the Great American Smokeout — a day dedicated to helping thousands of people quit smoking. New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman addressed the state, saying, “Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in New Jersey, leading to chronic lung disease, heart disease, stroke and cancer.” 11,800 New Jerseyans are killed due to tobacco use every year, according to Adelman. 

The Department’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services aids smokers by offering smoking cessation treatment, Quit Centers, counseling and medication. While traditional cigarette usage has gone down in recent years, e-cigarettes are still in heavy rotation, mainly among adolescents and young adults. These are just as addictive — and still toxic. Those who smoke have a three times higher rate of mortality than the average nonsmoker. Quitting tobacco might seem impossible, but the New Jersey Department of Health reminds smokers that they can help.