Last Friday, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jay Butler, sent the following email to state employees. The purpose was to encourage state employees to seek Quit Line services, to increase awareness about the Quit Line, to promote Alaska’s new website as a resource, and also to highlight the Great American Smokeout® (GASO).

In honor of GASO, I’d like to share an excerpt of his message with you:

This month, I have a challenge:

Next Thursday, November 20, is the Great American Smokeout. If you smoke or use tobacco products, take this opportunity to quit. I did, and I know how my health improved in the long run.

Thirty years ago as a college student, I used smokeless tobacco. That changed after I saw my first cardiac bypass surgery. I realized that my body was not just a machine that could be taken into the shop for repair and be made as good as new. I was lucky. I was able to quit. After medical school, I was frustrated by the suffering caused by the addictive power of nicotine. As a physician, I realized how little power I had to really heal the cancers and the heart and lung diseases caused by tobacco. I heard far too many patients say things like "I thought that I would just drop dead, but instead I am slowly suffocating" and "If I had only known how much I would suffer, I would have quit". I don't just remember their X-rays and CT scans; I remember the faces of many wonderful people and the look of hopelessness in their eyes.

But there is hope, and it comes with quitting…

Join me in being tobacco free. Our health depends on it.

Signed by
Dr. Jay Butler, Chief Medical Officer