Great American Smokeout 2023: Date, History, Famous Ex-Smokers

Great American Smokeout 2023: The Great American Smokeout, organized by the American Cancer Society, takes place on November 16th, the third Thursday of November. It is a 24-hour challenge for smokers to abstain from using tobacco. Consider joining the movement if you or a loved one consumes cigarettes; doing so would be the initial step toward quitting permanently.

Great American Smokeout 2023: History

The Great American Smokeout originated from an incident that transpired in 1970 in Randolph, Massachusetts. Arthur P. Mullaney, a guidance counselor at a high school, requested that individuals abstain from smoking cigarettes for one day and contribute the $1 to a scholarship fund for high school students in lieu of purchasing cigarettes. In 1974, a few years later, newspaper editor Lynn R. Smith organized the first Don’t Smoke Day in Minnesota. One million individuals ceased smoking for the day of November 18, 1976, thanks to the success of the two initiatives coordinated by the California Division of the American Cancer Society.

This was the inaugural Smokeout, which was subsequently expanded nationwide by the American Cancer Society in 1977. The consequence was a significant shift in public perception regarding tobacco advertising and consumption. Numerous workplaces and public spaces are currently smoke-free in an effort to secure nonsmokers and assist those attempting to quit.

The annual Great American Smokeout raises awareness about the importance of preventing smoking-related fatalities and chronic diseases. A number of state and local governments increased cigarette taxes, restricted advertising, discouraged adolescent cigarette use, and implemented additional anti-smoking measures between the late 1980s and the 1990s. Adult smoking in states with stringent tobacco control laws decreased by as much as 42%.

Despite a decline in smoking prevalence, approximately 38 million Americans continue to use tobacco products, and roughly half of all smokers will experience a fatality related to smoking. Annually, over 480,000 individuals succumb to smoking-related illnesses in the United States, accounting for one-fifth of all fatalities in the country.

World No Tobacco Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Smoking

Famous Ex-Smokers

Gwyneth Paltrow

The Academy Award-winning actress did not cease smoking until she was pregnant with her first child; she had a habitual smoking habit as a teenager.

​Barack Obama

Nicorette gum assisted the former president in resigning so that he might establish a positive precedent for his daughters.

​Jennifer Aniston

The “Friends” star effectively stopped smoking by distracting herself from cigarettes through yoga and other forms of physical activity.

​Mila Kunis

The actress acknowledged that she used cigarettes to lose weight in preparation for her role in “Black Swan,” but she has since quit the habit.​

Great American Smokeout 2023: Date

Year	Date	Day
2021	November 18	Thursday
2022	November 17	Thursday
2023	November 16	Thursday
2024	November 21	Thursday
2025	November 20	Thursday