In the United States, July 4th is a day that celebrates independence and freedom. It's also a meaningful day to begin your quit program, putting an end to the slavery of nicotine addiction, once and for all.

Today, I'd like to share a 4th of July message from a reader that puts quitting tobacco in perspective.

From Joe:

"July 24th, 2007 will be forever etched in my mind as a turning point in my life; I had a stroke.

"It began as an uncomfortable feeling in my left arm that spread to numbness on the left side of my jaw. It got progressively worse, so off to the hospital I went.

"My blood pressure was through the roof and the left side of my body was "heavy". The doctor ordered an MRI and the results prooved that a stroke had occured. I was under watch at the hospital for the next 24 hrs to see how much damage had been done.

"I vowed never to smoke a cigarette again and quit, then and there.

"All smokers delude themselves into believing that nothing will happen to them, but I could not do this any longer. I had a stroke.

"The evidence could not be ignored: Smoking was killing me.

"I was extremely fortunate to recover the feeling and function on my left side fairly quickly. I never had the urge to smoke after that night. I prayed that God would help me deal with the cravings I was sure were coming, but they never did. I know the stroke was my warning. I also believe that God had a hand in stopping my addiction. I had smoked 2 packs a day for 30 years.

"Today is the 4th of July. In 20 days, it will be a year since the stroke occured. It will also be my one year anniversary of quitting smoking. I am sorry that it took a stroke to motivate me to quit, but I am so glad I did.

"Please, don't let a life-changing event be the catalyst for you to snuff out the smokes, like it was for me . Quit before it comes to that!"

Smoking and Stroke:

• What is a Stroke?

• How a Stroke Changed My Life - Paul's Quit Story

• Smoking and Coronary Heart Disease / Stroke Statistics

_{Photo: © Stockxpert}

A year ago yesterday, the United Kingdom adopted a sweeping smoking ban that restricted people from lighting up in virtually all enclosed public locations, including previously allowed indoor smoking areas.

First of its kind in the world, the Smoking Toolkit Study looked specifically at the impact this smoke-free legislation had on smoking rates in the community. The results of the study were presented this week at the 2008 UK National Smoking Cessation Conference, held in Birmingham, England.

Study Highlights:

• 400,000 people have quit smoking in the year since the ban was enacted.

• Interviews with more than 32,000 current and ex-smokers revealed that during the nine months prior to the start of the ban on July 1, 2007, smoking rates dropped by 1.6%.

• During the nine months following the ban, interviews indicated smoking rates fell by 5.5%.

• It's estimated that as many as 40,000 lives will be saved in the next 10 years due to this smoke-free legislation.

The UK smoking ban is a shining example of how anti-smoking measures taken at a governmental level save lives. If we are to stem the tide of death that is predicted worldwide due to tobacco use over the course of this century, smoking bans of this kind must be adopted by all nations, especially those where anti-smoking legislation is minimal or non-existent.

• Smoking Ban Spurs 400,000 People to Quit the Habit

Poll Questions:

Should smoking be banned in bars/pubs?

1) Yes
2) No
3) Undecided

Should smoking be banned in restaurants?

1) Yes
2) No
3) Provide a designated smoking area

How do you feel about prohibiting smoking in outdoor areas like parks and playgrounds?

1) Yes
2) No
3) Undecided

_{Image: © Stockxpert}