Nov. 19 marks the 34th annual Great American Smokeout. During this day Americans from coast to coast will try to give up cigarettes for 24 hours.

Quitting smoking is tough to do alone. Smokers are more successful in quitting when they have support from family and friends and use nicotine replacement products, prescription medication or read stop-smoking guides.

These tips and publications from the Federal Citizen Information Center can help smokers leave cigarettes behind forever.

•The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health guide “Smoking: Medicines to Help You” reviews common nicotine replacement products such as lozenges, inhalers, nasal sprays, gum and the patch. It also covers non-nicotine medicines only available by prescription.

•The American Cancer Society offers Quitline, where smokers can request an encouraging phone call to help when they are trying to quit smoking. The society also offers information on smoking cessation resources.

•Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The Lung Cancer factsheet from the FDA talks about warning signs and treatment options.

•Secondhand smoke can cause respiratory problems indoors, and the Environmental Protection Agency publication “Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes” explains the health effects and how to reduce them.

•Check out the FDA’s asthma factsheet to review chronic respiratory problems and ways to alleviate symptoms.

For copies of these publications, call (888) 8-PUEBLO (878-3256) or go to www.pueblo.gsa.gov.