Certified tobacco treatment specialists from the College of Medicine will try to get smokers to quit for one day Thursday as part of the Great American Smoke-Out.

They’re hoping the one-day commitment will be the start of a lifelong change of habit.

The College of Medicine is joining with the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Cancer Center for the event from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Smokers are asked to bring their open pack of cigarettes and throw them into a garbage can at the TMH Cancer Center, located at 1775 Healing Place (the corner of Miccosukee Road and Surgeons Drive) in Tallahassee.

In return, they will receive free nicotine patches, gum or lozenge, along with a free counseling session with one of the College of Medicine’s smoking cessation specialists. Smokers also will have the opportunity to register for a Quit Smoking NOW class to be held in January.

Assisting the specialists will be high school students from the College of Medicine’s SSTRIDE outreach program.

For more information, contact Mary Dailey at 850-645-8584.