Not only is quitting smoking possible, it is the single most important
thing you can do to improve the length and quality of your life. If you
still haven’t kicked the habit, you may have many different feelings
about quitting smoking. You know all the reasons why you should quit,
but you may not be sure you can quit or if the time is right. Most smokers
feel that way when they first decide to quit. But millions have quit and
so can you.
The
American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout event is your chance to triumph over addiction. Every November, the American
Cancer Society sets aside the third Thursday to encourage smokers to go
the distance, and to finally give up smoking. By quitting — even
for one day — you will be taking an important step toward a healthier
life — one that can lead to reducing your cancer risk. It’s
a race for your health, and it starts today. Today’s the day that
quitters win. Maybe you need a little motivation:
DID YOU KNOW?
- There are now more ex-smokers than smokers in the United States.
- 52 million Americans who used to smoke have now quit for good.
- Many had to try a few times but they didn’t give up and now they
are smoke free.
The decision to quit smoking is one that only you can make. Others may
want you to quit, but the real commitment must come from you. Here are
some quitting resources that may help:
-
The EX Plan – is a free quit smoking program, one that can show you a whole
new way to think about quitting. It’s based on personal experiences
from ex-smokers as well as the latest scientific research from the experts
at Mayo Clinic.
BecomeAnEx.org, a free resource for tobacco users who want to quit. Here smokers can
continue to smoke while they create free, personalized quit plans which
track the triggers that lead them to light up, such as alcohol, parties,
or a difficult boss. And when they do quit, and those cravings start to
mount, a live virtual support group will be there to help. This extraordinary
program was developed using the latest research by the American Legacy
Foundation, the group created with $2 billion of the $240 billion settlement
of the lawsuits by the States against Big Tobacco.
- 1-877-44U-Quit – is the National Cancer Institute’s Smoking
Quitline, 1-877-44U-Quit, which also offers proactive counseling by trained
personnel in both English and Spanish. Whether you are ready to quit or
just thinking about it, call 1-877-44U-Quit for free support with a trained
counselor. When you call, a staff person will offer a choice of free services,
including mailed self-help literature, a referral list of other local
programs, and one-one-counseling over the phone.
According to the American Cancer Society, eliminating smoking has both
immediate and long-term rewards. Within weeks of quitting, blood pressure
lowers and blood circulation improves. One year after quitting, the risk
of heart disease from smoking decreases by half. Five years after you
quit smoking, the risk of certain cancers caused by smoking decreases
by fifty percent. Research also indicates that stopping smoking is crucial
in the management of many contributors to heart attack. These include
atherosclerosis, thrombosis, coronary artery disease, and cardiac arrhythmias.
Anyone who wants to quit smoking can visit a provider at any of the 15
Catawba Valley Family Medicine (CVFM) practices, to get information to
help tackle this goal. A list of CVFM locations and directions are available at
http://www.cvmgonline.com.