Award-Winning Journalist Reprises ‘Super Stoppers Club’ with the American Lung Association

Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death and disease in America, and unfortunately, an estimated 30.8 million adults still smoke cigarettes. To celebrate people who have quit smoking for good and inspire those who are trying to quit, the American Lung Association announced today that it partnered with award-winning journalist Bob Levey to relaunch the “Super Stoppers Club.”

For 23 years, Levey wrote a daily column, “Bob Levey’s Washington,” for The Washington Post. In this column, he often featured the “Super Stoppers Club,” where he recognized people who quit smoking and shared their stories. Now Levey is working with the American Lung Association to relaunch the Super Stoppers Club as a digital campaign to include monthly Facebook Posts, articles on the Lung Association’s Each Breath Blog, promotion on the Lungcast podcast and more.

“Years ago, I hatched a crusade called the Super Stoppers Club—column after column about people who had quit smoking, just as I had. I published names, and how-I-quit stories, for more than five years. The idea was to pat them on the back in print, but also to keep them on the straight and narrow,” said Levey. “Family members would call me regularly to thank me for the additional years that grandpa or mama could now expect. Healthcare workers would praise me to the skies for finding an unusual way to motivate quitters.”

The goal of the campaign is to celebrate people who have quit smoking for good, inspire those who are trying to quit all tobacco product use and provide resources for people looking to begin their quit journey.

“From this quitter, to all who have also quit, and all who will quit, thanks for the chance to beat the drum once again. You can do it. I never thought I could write a column, take a plane trip or play a hand of bridge without a cigarette. I now do all of those quite easily. You can, too,” Levey added.

The American Lung Association offers resources to help adults and teens to quit all tobacco products, including Freedom From Smoking. Freedom From Smoking helps individuals create their own unique quit plan, as well as tips and techniques to stay successful in the long run.

Learn more about the campaign and read inspirational Super Stopper Club stories at Lung.org/Super-Stoppers. If you have quit smoking and would like a shout out from Bob Levey and the American Lung Association, submit your name at Lung.org/Super-Stoppers.