Bend Memorial Clinic Celebrates Great American Smokeout Today

Bend Memorial Clinic iscelebrating the Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 15 by hosting a free lunch presentation for members of the medical community. Advise the Quit will be presented by Pfizer Medical Outcomes specialist, Richard McLeod, PharmD. Throughout the day, educational materials and free patient counseling will be available for the public in the Physician’s Lounge at the Eastside Clinic (1501 NE Medical Center Dr. Bend).

The 2012 report from the Surgeon General states that cigarettes are responsible for approximately 443,000 deaths in America each year. Cigarette smoking costs the nation $96 billion in direct medical costs and $97 billion in lost productivity annually.

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout. They may use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and then quit smoking that day. Theevent challenges people to stop using tobacco and helps people know about the many tools they can use to quit and stay quit.

In addition to the one-hour lunch presentation and free patient counseling on November 15, BMC also provides free ongoing support for people wanting to quit through the BMC Tobacco Cessation Program.

For more information on the Tobacco Cessation Program, please call 541.317.4506 or visit www.bendmemorialclinic.com.