“I quit!” -- smokers have long tried to utter that phrase with confidence, but now it might be easier for San Diegans starting on Wednesday.
It has nothing to do with the latest nicotine patches, gum or even going cold turkey. Rather, it has to do with seeing a couple of blackened smoker lungs on display.
It all started when cleaning crews at Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum started finding unfinished packs of cigarettes on the display cases of the smokers’ lungs, which are on view next to healthy lungs . In response, the exhibit partnered with www.smokefreesandiego.org to launch a smoking-cessation program.
The awareness initiative will feature the I Quit program, with a memorable public service announcement shot by actor Yul Brynner before he died of lung cancer in 1985. Visitors can fill out pledge cards to quit smoking and take home information about the dangers of smoking. These will all be located within the exhibit and will run through Oct. 4.
To kick off the program, the American Lung Association will be inside the exhibition Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to give visitors more information about ways to quit smoking.
