Can't stop smoking? One look at this might help | Health

PORTLAND, Ore. - Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you but it's a habit that many find very hard to break.

For those who need a little push in the right direction, a disturbing look at what smoking does to your body will be unveiled this week at the Body Worlds & The Brain exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI).

The exhibit, titled 'I Quit,' shows what a smoker's lungs actually look like and it certainly is an eye opener. In fact, the exhibit is so shocking for people that cleaning crews at previous Body Worlds exhibitions have found unfinished packs of cigarettes lying on the glass display case.

"Many visitors to the exhibition reported that they had tried everything but only stopped after seeing the smoker's lung," said Dr. Angelina Whalley, a physician and the creative and conceptual designer of the Body Worlds exhibitions.

The smoker's lung will be unveiled at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17. American Cancer Society volunteers will be there to provide tools and tips for smokers who are interested in quitting.

The 'I Quit' exhibit is just one of the displays for Body Worlds & The Brain. The exhibit includes real organs and whole-body specimens that have been preserved through 'plastination,' a process that was invented by German scientist Gunther von Hagens in 1995. Plastination involves replacing body fluids with liquid plastic that hardens, leaving tissues intact and allowing the bodies to be displayed in their natural color without formaldehyde.

Thursday, Nov. 17 is also the day for the 36th annual Great American Smokeout, a concept created by the American Cancer Society as a way to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for a day. Smokers are also encouraged to use the day to make a plan to quit permanently.

• Oregon's Quit Smoking Line