Friday, May 31, 2013

QUITTIN' TIME?



Friday, May 31, 2013
Subject: World No Tobacco Day

Today is “World No Tobacco Day”, a day meant to encourage a 24-hour period away from all forms of tobacco consumption. Did you know that nicotine, the drug found in both cigarettes and tobacco chew products, is the most addictive drug on the market, and that the average cost for a pack of 20 cigarettes is $5.51?  Since the average smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, if a person smoked consistently for 10 years they would have spent at least $10,000 just to buy cigarettes!

There are resources out there to help people who are interested in quitting. The American Cancer Society has a toll-free hotline that can provide local support group information as well as entry into their phone-based coaching service, the Quit for Life program. This program pairs a participant up with a “Quit Coach” who helps them develop a “Quit Plan”, gives ongoing support, and provides guidance in choosing medicines and where to find them for free or low cost. The number is 1-800-277-2345. The American Lung Association also has a toll free hotline where someone can talk to nurses, respiratory therapists, and trained smoking cessation counselors. They can be reached at 1-800-586-4872. Again those numbers are 1-800-277-2345 and 1-800-586-4872.

Other great resources can be found at www.smokefree.gov/. This website offers many tools to help individuals quit, including a new program called SmokefreeTXT. This program was created to provide 24/7 encouragement, advice, and tips to help smokers stop smoking for good. Check out the website to learn more.

Take good care out there!

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