Each November Indiana joins other states in observing Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a national campaign to raise awareness and educate Americans about the causes and dangers of lung cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, it is estimated that more than 215,000 people will be diagnosed and 161,840 people will die from lung cancer in the U.S. this year. The American Lung Association of Indiana estimates more than 5,000 Hoosiers die every year of lung cancer. The disease is the deadliest, and most preventable, form of cancer. It kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, melanoma and kidney cancers combined.

Indiana has the sixth-highest rate of adult smokers in the country at 24.1 percent, according to Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation (ITPC). Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of premature death in Indiana.

"It's critical that Hoosiers take steps to quit smoking, keep our youth from starting to smoke, protect our citizens from secondhand smoke and change the social acceptability of tobacco use," said Karla Sneegas, executive director, ITPC. "Together we can improve the health of Hoosiers and reduce the disease and economic burden that tobacco use places on people of all ages."

Research shows that smokers are most successful in kicking the habit when they have a means of support, such as nicotine replacement products, counseling, prescription medicine to lessen cravings, and the encouragement of friends and family members. Here's how you can get started:

Take part in the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 20, sponsored by the American Cancer Society (ACS). This event challenges people to stop smoking and raises awareness for the many ways to successfully quit. The Great American Smokeout also draws attention to numerous other chronic diseases that tobacco use can cause, from emphysema to death.

Hoosiers can take advantage of the Indiana Tobacco Quitline (1-800-QUITNOW), a free phone-based counseling service that helps Indiana smokers quit by providing one-on-one coaching, resources for healthcare providers and support for family and friends to help their loved ones stop smoking.