By The Survivors Club Staff
November 17, 2009

Not realizing the power of addiction, Natalie Fleming took up smoking in college because she thought it was "cool" and she wanted to fit in. It was only when her beloved grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 that she finally decided she had to quit.

Incidentally, the day she took her last puff was November 19 which is also celebrated as the Great American Smokeout.

The Alabama resident, who recently described her experience in the Gadsden Times where she works as copy editor, says quitting was probably the hardest thing she has ever done.

"It took about three weeks to totally get over my addiction to nicotine," Fleming recalls, adding that "looking back, it was the best thing I could have ever done for myself."

As the next Smokeout approaches, the American Cancer Society says tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S., and that cigarette smoking accounts for about 443,000 premature deaths, including 49,400 in nonsmokers.

There are a number of methods individuals can use to help them quit, including nicotine patches, chewing gums and psychological counseling. In addition to that, an innovative anti-nicotine vaccine is set to go to Phase III clinical trials.

Survivors struggling with lung problems due to smoking may consult the website of the American Lung Association.