Smoking is one of the more common asthma triggers for children and adults with asthma, but one out of every five North Carolinians is still smoking. The number of smokers nationwide has dropped to 15%, but over 20% of North Carolinians smoke, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Smoking kills 14,200 North Carolinians each year and causes $3.8 billion in annual health care costs. Over 50 organizations—including Active Healthcare, leading patient groups, health care delivery systems, nonprofits, and state and local agencies—have joined together to launch “Race to Quit, NC.” The goal of this smoking cessation campaign is to help North Carolinians win the battle of quitting smoking and tobacco use.

It’s no secret that quitting tobacco use is a difficult endeavor, and many users have tried multiple times to quit without success. During the Race to Quit, NC launch week October 5-9, campaign partners will hold events to raise awareness of the campaign and to promote the campaign website. The site features educational materials and comprehensive resources to help tobacco users quit. You can also follow the campaign on social media via the hashtag #RacetoQuitNC.

Quitting is hard, but smokers don’t have to go it alone. There are huge health and financial benefits to quitting—both for the smoker and those that might breathe in their second-hand smoke. Together, we can help North Carolinians break the cycle of tobacco use and cross the finish line to a tobacco-free life.