Unalaska, AK – Thursday was the Great American Smoke Out, a nationwide event sponsored by the American Cancer Society to encourage people to quit smoking or help someone else quit. Community wellness advisor Char Gisvold got the word out by speaking with high school students and community members. She said the best way to quit is to stop immediately, but that doesn't always work. The community also offers smoking cessation classes, acupuncture treatments, and other support systems. Gisvold said stopping is important for your health and for your children. It can lead to respiratory problems and accentuate other health issues, like diabetes and heart conditions.

"Keeping smoke away from children is very, very important. Keeping smoke away from everybody is important," she said. "Take it outside, if you must smoke. But like I say, we all hope you'll quit."

Gisvold said this year's Great American Smoke Out was especially significant for her because her former husband recently died from emphysema. She said she watched smoking transform him from a healthy, active athlete and skater to a man who could hardly leave his house.

"He developed emphysema, which is a terrible, terrible lung disease. You fight for air. Not actually air to breathe, but air pushing out. He could not push air out, and that means you can't clean out your lungs. And as the years progressed he got worse and worse and his world got smaller and smaller."

Gisvold hosted an information table at Safeway on Thursday and gave away coupons for turkey sandwiches.

"It's kind of the emphasis is on turkey sandwiches is go cold turkey, it's the best way to do it.' But like I said, it's not always possible for people with bad addictions to do that."

You can also get help and information at the Ounalashka Wellness Center or by calling 1-888-842-QUIT.