The Great American Smoke Out challenges smokers to put down the butts for a day and hopefully forever.The American Cancer Society says 17 percent of New Jersey residents smoke, which is down by nearly half from 40 years ago. Now, the cancer society is trying to persuade the remaining hard-core smokers to finally quit by challenging them to a smoke-free 24-hour period. Officials from the cancer society say they know giving it up is hard but their focus is to emphasize and offer support for those in need.New Jersey lawmakers hope to match the efforts of other states by passing a smoking ban in bars and restaurants.