Imagine it taking the death of America's most beloved news anchor, Peter Jennings, to awaken smokers to the availability of a totally free and highly effective quitting book. It's happening. So far during August, more than 18,000 visitors to WhyQuit.com have downloaded a 149 page PDF quitting book entitled "Never Take Another Puff."

Written by Joel Spitzer of Chicago, could mastering the 98 lessons in his free quitting book provide readers with up to 40% odds of successful long-term nicotine cessation, when a March 2003 study found that the over-the-counter nicotine patch and gum afforded smokers just 7% odds of quitting for six months?

"Absolutely," says John R. Polito, a former thirty-year three pack-a-day smoker and editor of WhyQuit.com. "Joel Spitzer has devoted his entire life to working with and studying quitters. His amazing insights consistently produce some of the highest success rates anywhere."

Spitzer's career started as a volunteer with the American Cancer Society in 1972. Since then he has presented more than 325 six-session quitting clinics spanning 13 days (each session two hours), and over 570 single session seminars. "He truly is the Henry Aaron/Babe Ruth of smoking cessation," says Polito.

Today Spitzer presents clinics and seminars for the Evanston and Skokie divisions of the Illinois Departments of Health. Since January 2000, he has also served as education director at Freedom from Tobacco, a free online message board quitting forum where he daily presents lessons and counseling to new quitters.

Spitzer's free quitting book can be downloaded at whyquit.com/book.html. "In a world driven by the almighty dollar it's refreshing to watch a man who continues to so freely share his time, talent, wisdom and skill," says Polito.

Health, education, civic and non-profit groups are invited to print and share Spitzer's book, together with other spin-off quitting documents found at the above link. They're also invited to add the organization's own cover, logo and message to each. Spitzer's only requests are that there never be any charge or cost to recipients and that all content, copyrights and attributions remain in place.

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