Free Bowling Offered to Encourage Smokers to Quit

The Department of Health and Hospitals’ Tobacco Control Program, the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living and Lafayette Lanes will host Become An EX® Night on Oct. 24, 2008 to promote smoking cessation through the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation’s Become An EX® program.

Lafayette Lanes will offer free bowling and shoe rental from 9 p.m. to midnight along with free information to encourage smokers to Become An EX® and quit smoking for good.

“Twenty-two percent of Louisiana adults are affected by tobacco addiction,” said Tiffany Netters, acting program manager of the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program. “This event is a great opportunity to get into the community and promote the important message of smoking cessation in a new and fun way.  Members of the Louisiana Tobacco Control Program will also be on hand to offer tips and advice about the best methods to quit smoking.”

Lafayette Lanes is located at 2825 Johnston St. in Lafayette. For more information on Become An EX® Night, visit www.lafayettelanes.com or call (337) 234-8384.

The Become An EX® program encourages smokers to approach quitting smoking as “re-learning life without cigarettes.” The program aims to change the way smokers think about the difficult process of quitting.  This includes how to overcome the behavioral aspects of smoking; how to overcome smoking triggers; how medications can increase quitting success; and how support from friends and family members can play a critical role in quitting.  For more information, visit www.BecomeAnEx.org.

The Become An EX® program is a new public health campaign presented by the National Alliance for Tobacco Cessation (NATC). The Louisiana Tobacco Control Program is a founding member of the NATC, a collaboration of the nation’s leading public health organizations, 16 states and the District of Columbia. Other founding members include the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the National Cancer Institute, the American Legacy Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, C-Change, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and clinical partner, the Mayo Clinic.