Smoking 2009

Tobacco Use
Small Change…….Big Gain!
No matter how long you have been smoking, you will experience major benefits if you quit! Smoking increases your risk of not just lung cancer, COPD, emphysema, and bronchitis, but also increases your risk of: • Cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas and cervix. • Stomach ulcers • High Blood Pressure • Osteoporosis and when bones break, they don’t heal well • Stroke • Heart Disease, Heart Attacks • Circulation problems • Sinus congestion • Yellow nails and teeth • Gum Disease • Wrinkles Immediately upon quitting, your body starts to heal itself. Within a week virtually all the
harmful chemicals have left your body. Your heartbeat slows and your lungs start to
clean and heal. Within 24 hours of quitting your risk of death from lung cancer, heart
disease and other smoking related illnesses begins to drop. Why wait another day!
Steps to take to quit smoking
☞ Remember the secret to success
Nothing will magically take the habit away from you. The secret to success is you
deciding you really want to quit. You need to make the commitment!
❏ Set a Quit Date
Many people find it helpful to set a specific date to quit. Try to avoid days that you know
will be very stressful. Tell other people so they can be supportive.
☞ Decide how you can quit
❏ Cold Turkey
Most successful former smokers quit cold turkey, meaning you stop smoking abruptly.
Cold turkey is the simplest and the easiest way to quit.
❏ Tapering
Some smokers find it helpful to cut down the number of cigarettes they smoke before
finally giving them up completely. Tapering can reduce your level of nicotine making it
easier to quit and give you confidence you can do this!
copyright 2010 Concert Health Resources, LTD More Steps to Take to Quit Smoking …

❏ Consider nicotine replacement products, Chantix and/or Zyban
Nicotine replacement products provide nicotine without the other
harmful components of smoking. They can relieve the nicotine
withdrawal symptoms, so you can concentrate on overcoming the psychological aspects of smoking. Chantix and Zyban (generic name: buproprion) are the prescription medications to help take away the craving for cigarettes. They need to be started 1-2 weeks before your quit date. Since they contain no nicotine, you can use them with the nicotine patch. You can talk to your doctor about quitting and whether either would be a good choice for you.
❏ Exercise more and drink lots of water
Some people go for a walk when cravings hit—activity helps take away the anxious feelings you get when you crave a cigarette.
❏ Take a class on quitting
Classes give you moral support when trying to quit and help address the psychological reasons for smoking. Nicotine replacement products are more effective when used in combination with some sort of class. There are many support options on the internet including the American Lung Association Fresh Start program to help you quit!
❏ Write down a plan for high risk times
Many people enjoy smoking socially. For at least the first 3 weeks you may want to avoid situations in which the temptation to smoke is greatest. If you tend to smoke for stress reduction, consider before hand what you will do instead. Some people take deep breaths, exercise, drink water, chew on toothpicks or suck on candy.
❏ Hypnotism or Acupuncture?
No stop smoking method will take the habit away from you if you really don’t want to quit. Some people have been successful using these aids when you really want to quit! ☞ Pick yourself up and try, try again!
Most smokers have to try several times before they are successful at stopping smoking.
You just learn what you are up against and keep trying. It is the best thing you could do!

☞ Need more information?
Check out these web sites or call the quit line!
1-800-QUIT NOW www.smokefree.gov www.quitnet.org www.ffsonline.org www.lungusa.org Never let yourself believe you can have just one—you will be back to smoking as you
always did right away.
Hang in there! You can do it!
copyright 2010 Concert Health Resources, LTD

Source: http://concerthealth.net/Handouts%20PDFs/Smoking%202009.pdf