The Great American Smokeout demonstrates that one person with a good idea can make a difference that saves millions of lives.

In 1971, a man named Arthur Mullaney challenged his fellow residents of Randolph, Mass., to stop smoking for just one day and donate the money they saved to a high school scholarship fund. Three years later, Lynn Smith, editor of the Monticello Times in Minnesota, picked up on Mullaney's idea. Smith created a statewide event called D-Day -- short for Don't Smoke Day.

From Minnesota the idea traveled to California. There the state chapter of the American Cancer Society transformed D-Day into an event called the Great American Smokeout. And in 1977 the event went nationwide.

Soon the Great American Smokeout won enough visibility to attract celebrity chairs, ranging from model Christy Turlington to Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Even Mr. Potato Head gave up his pipe for the cause.

This year the Great American Smokeout, which takes place on Thursday, Nov. 21, marks its 26th anniversary. In the decades since Mullaney's challenge, great strides have been made in reversing attitudes about smoking, understanding the addiction, and helping people quit. Advocates of smoking cessation have claimed victories with national impact. In 1990, for example, the federal government imposed a smoking ban on all interstate buses and domestic flights of six hours or less. In 1999, the Department of Justice sued cigarette manufacturers for defrauding the public about the risks of smoking.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one-half of all Americans who have ever smoked have now quit. Even so, about 47 million adults in the United States currently use tobacco, and smoking continues to top the list of preventable causes of death.

The idea behind the Great American Smokeout is that quitting smoking for one day can lead to quitting forever. If you smoke and want to stop, the American Cancer Society urges you to make Nov. 21 your quit date. The association also offers these suggestions:

See your doctor. Smokers are more likely to quit successfully if they enlist medical help. Visit your doctor, who can explain nicotine replacement therapy (such as the nicotine patch) and other medications such as Zyban to relieve the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Remember that medications should be used with counseling to help deal with the psychological challenges of quitting.

Share your plan. Tell everyone you know that you've decided to quit. Ask family members and friends for support. Studies show that people who are quitting smoking almost always do better if they receive support from nonsmokers.

Avoid people, places and things that trigger urges to smoke. Avoid the smoking sections in public places. Get rid of smoking paraphernalia -- cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters -- in your house and car.

Replace smoking with another activity. When you feel an urge to light up, channel that energy into doing something else. Keep your hands busy with gardening, crossword puzzles, or another hobby. Do brief exercise, such as a few minutes of stair climbing or brisk walking. Eat healthful snacks, such as carrots, apples, or raisins. Or simply take several deep breaths.

Keep trying. "If you tried to quit before and haven't been successful, keep trying," says Corrine Ertz, tobacco control director for the American Cancer Society chapter in Minnesota. "Learning how to quit smoking can be quite difficult, and there is a learning curve. You may not succeed your first couple of times, but eventually you will."

Contact organizations for help. Start with national organizations focused on smoking cessation. The following may have a local chapter near you:

• American Heart Association, 800-242-1793, http://www.americanheart.org/
• American Lung Association, 800-586-4872, http://www.lungusa.org/
• Nicotine Anonymous, 415-750-0328, http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/

For more information about Great American Smokeout activities in your community and about quitting smoking, call the American Cancer Society at 800-227- 2345. Also visit its Web site at http://www.cancer.org/.

--Published November 4, 2002