Tips to Quit Smoking

According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 440,000 individuals prematurely die each year from smoking or from exposure to second hand smoke. It is estimated that another 8.6 million people live with chronic smoking related illnesses. Despite all of the effort to prevent smoking, each day approximately 1,100 children under the age of 18 begin to smoke. There are various reasons why people start smoking. For some it may be related to peer pressure to to gain social rewards. For others it may be a way to rebel against parental authority. Regardless of the reasons why one began to smoke, quitting improves the length and quality of your life. Some benefits to quitting are:

• Within two weeks to 3 months your risk of a heart attack decreases.Heart rate and blood pressure return to normal.

• Within a few hours, your blood’s ability to carry oxygen increases (Carbon monoxide reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen).

• Within a few weeks, people who quit smoking have improved circulation. Coughing and wheezing are also substantially reduced.

• Within several months of quitting, people can expect substantial improvements in lung function.

• In addition, people who quit smoking will have an improved sense of smell and food will taste better.

• Remove everything from your environment related to smoking: cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters, and matches.

• Develop a support system and tell your friends and family that you have quit smoking.  Have them encourage you and be a support and NOT give you a cigarette.

• Clinical intervention such as Behavioral therapy ( e.g. training in problem solving)

• Be aware of your triggers and develop coping strategies. Get involved in activities that don’t go with smoking (exercise, meditation). Imagine yourself enjoying favorite activities without smoking.

• Make use of numerous programs available such as 1-800- Quite – Now 

• Smokefree.gov (http://www.smokefree.gov), a Web site created by NCI’s Tobacco Control Research Branch, and use the Step-by-Step Quit Guide.

• Call the NCI Smoking Quitline at 1–877–44U–QUIT (1–877–448–7848) for individualized counseling, printed information, and referrals to other sources.

• Refer to the NCI fact sheet Where To Get Help When You Decide To Quit Smoking, which is available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/tobacco/help-quitting on the Internet.

Quitting smoking can be difficult but living a smoke free life is possible. There are several methods that can help you increase your likelihood of success.  To help with nicotine withdrawal  consider using the nicotine patch, gum or lozenges. Other successful methods in treating nicotine dependence are prescription medications such as:  bupropion (zyban), varenicline tartrate (Chantix) or a nicotine inhalation system such as (nicotrol).  Ask your doctor about the possibility of using these products. Some also claim that alternative medicine such as acupuncture can be of benefit. However, the jury is still out on this. Currently there is no consistent evidence that acupuncture (or acupressure) is effective for helping people quit smoking. However, it may be worth considering if other methods have been ineffective. Other tips to help you kick the habit are: