The Great American Smokeout, an annual campaign by the American Cancer Society, is held on the third Thursday of November. Associated Press File Photo

Thousands of people will quit smoking on Thursday, Nov. 21 — at least, that’s the hope of the American Cancer Society and VA Butler Healthcare.

The Great American Smokeout, held on the third Thursday of November, is an annual campaign by the American Cancer Society meant to help people quit smoking. With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating 8,000 veterans diagnosed with lung cancer each year and 5,000 veterans dying from the disease per year, VA Butler Healthcare is promoting the initiative as well.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said many veterans used tobacco while they served, particularly during deployment. Now 7 out of 10 veterans who smoke would like to quit — for both the physical benefits and their mental health.

Jerri Rayburg, tobacco use cessation clinician at the VA Butler Healthcare, said the organization uses the Great American Smokeout to promote its anti-smoking initiatives, and opportunities for veterans to be screened for lung cancer.

“It’s a national requirement that all VA facilities provide tobacco use cessation services, including behavioral health counseling and management,” Rayburg said. “At every VA facility, we provide those services.”

Veterans between ages 50 and 80 who have a history of smoking are eligible for lung cancer screenings through VA Butler Healthcare. The agency also makes a push in November to alert veterans to options to stop smoking, or to treat veterans who have lasting health effects from smoking.

Karen Dunn, health promotion and disease prevention program manager for VA Butler Healthcare, said that although quitting smoking is usually a process that involves several attempts to stop or cut down on smoking, the VA helps walk veterans through it.

“It’s important as a reminder every year because stopping smoking almost always requires multiple attempts with repeated intervention,” Dunn said. “The good thing about veterans with multiple quit attempts is we already know what hasn’t worked for them.

According to Rayburg, veterans may have a difficult time quitting smoking because of behavioral factors that may have arisen during their time serving in the military.

“The research shows that people who smoke are more likely to have anxiety, panic, depression and suicidal thoughts,” Rayburg said. “When we help people quit smoking, it can also lead to higher stress and anxiety. Tobacco use can interfere with your mood.”

Rayburg referenced the VA’s methodology of “ask, advise and refer,” when it comes to veterans who have a history of smoking, to get them the help they need to quit. Addressing the underlying causes of smoking can help a veteran develop a plan to not only stop smoking, but also live a healthier lifestyle to help offset the effects of any amount of smoking.

“One of the concerns is that mental health and tobacco tend to go hand in hand,” Rayburg said. “That’s one reason we address it in primary care mental health integration. Primary care mental health integration does a lot of behavioral health counseling; they have done a good job of helping people quit.”

For more information on the Veterans Affairs’ smoking prevention programs, visit mentalhealth.va.gov/quit-tobacco.