NO BUTTS ABOUT IT

Well, you came here. Give yourself a pat on the back. You just took the first step to quitting smoking. Did you know that half of all people who have ever smoked have quit? The reason you want to quit smoking is very important. In this war between you and tobacco, if you are going to win you must be sure of your resolve to win and that means quitting for the right reason. The right reason is because you love YOURSELF. You must want to quit for yourself, not for your doctor, family or friends. Your success in quitting smoking is greatly tied to how much you want to stop smoking. It is not an easy task. Most people quit 2 or 3 times (or more) before successfully quitting. You CAN quit smoking.

There are ways to improve your chances of being successful at quitting smoking. Understand that difficult situations, feeling depressed, pressured or angry and being around others who smoke may cause you to want to smoke. Try to de-stress your life. Think about what causes you stress and the changes you can make in your life to alleviate stress.Think of other ways than smoking to handle stress. Do something you enjoy everyday. The decision to quit smoking is a positive change in your life. There is no doubt other positive changes you could make to increase the quality of your life and health. Now would be a good time to incorporate daily exercise into your life. (But please check with your physician before beginning any exercise program). Exercise is a wonderful de-stresser. Take a walk everyday. Appreciate the beauty around you. Stop watching the evening news. Be mindful of your diet.

Now that you have decided to quit smoking, how do you go about it? Begin by picking a quit date, then before that date get rid of cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car and office. Thoroughly clean your house, have the carpet cleaned, and launder all your clothes. You might check with your local hospital and see if they offer a smoking cessation support group. It is helpful to communicate with others who are going thru the same situation as you. The American Lung Association offers information on smoking cessation and sponsors support groups.

There are nicotine replacement products available to assist and support your smoking cessation:

The nicotine patch is now available over the counter. If you are pregnant or have heart or circulation problems do NOT use the patch without speaking first to your physician. In fact, even though it is sold over the counter I would advise everyone to speak with their physician before using the patch. Be sure to read ALL of the information and directions in the package. DO NOT SMOKE WHEN YOU ARE USING THE PATCH!!!! Generally most people should start with a full strength patch for 4 weeks and then use a weaker patch for another 4 weeks.

If you are a heavy smoker, smoke soon as you get up in the morning and/or have severe withdrawal symptoms you probably should use the 4-mg gum. Lighter smokers should start using the 2-mg gum. DO NOT SMOKE WHILE USING THE GUM !!!!The gum must be chewed in a certain way....slowly until the peppery taste comes out. Then the gum should be placed between the cheek and gum. You should chew one piece every 1-2 hrs for at least 1-3 months. Each piece of gum should be used for about 30 minutes.

There is also a nicotine nasal spray and nicotine inhaler available to support smoking cessation. See link below.

There is now a drug, Zyban, to help curb withdrawal symptoms. It is often used in combination with the patch. You must get a prescription from your physician to obtain it.

My advice to you is to:

Links given to nicotine or pharmaceutical products are not endorsements of these products. Please consult your physician before beginning any smoking cessation program or using any smoking cessation product.

SMOKING CESSATION LINKS:

National Institute of Health

NASA and Smoking Cessation

American Lung Association

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