Smoking Cessation

TOBACCO USE FACTS:

Downloads (PDF)

• You Can Quit Smoking - Guide
• Utica Park Clinic Smoking Cessation Guide
• Clearing the Air: Quit Smoking Today

Smoking is associated with:

• The risk of dying from lung cancer is 22 times higher for men who smoke, and 12 times higher for women who smoke, than for never smokers. 87% of lung cancers are attributed to smoking
• Smoking increases the risk many types of cancers of the oral pharynx, larynx, throat, pancreas, bladder, lung, uterine, cervix, and kidney.
• Cigarette smokers are 2-4 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than nonsmokers
• Cigarettes double a person's risk for stroke
• Cigarette smoking increases a persons risk for developing arterial disease by up to 10 fold over that of a nonsmoker
• Cigarette smoking is associated with a ten-fold increase risk of developing emphysema, and 90% of all emphysema deaths are attributed to smoking.
• Smoking increases the risk of developing osteoporosis in post-menopausal females.

Second hand smoke is associated with:

• Childhood asthma, recurrent ear infections, and respiratory infections
• Maternal exposure during pregnancy may lead to miscarriage, low birth weight complications, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), more frequent health problems, and learning disabilities.
• More frequent respiratory illnesses in adults, premature heart disease, and early death
• An estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths per year are attributed to second hand smoke.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SMOKING CESSATION:

Nicotine, whether from cigarettes, cigars, pipe smoke, snuff, or chewing tobacco is addictive. Experts agree that there are several steps that can be taken to lessen the effects of nicotine withdrawal and improve your ability to successfully quit.

STEP ONE:

Make a list of all the reasons you smoke and a list of reasons to quit. The cost of smoking alone is substantial. Calculate your yearly expenses for tobacco and related cost then make a list of the things you could have if you quit.

STEP TWO:

Write down the places and times that you smoke. Who do you smoke with? Begin with eliminating the easiest times and location, then work on the more difficult time once you have had success.

STEP THREE:

The acronym START will provide you with a place to begin quitting.

• Remember, that one or two failed attempts does not mean that you won't be successful the next time. The average smoker attempts to quit unsuccessfully 3-5 times before they are successful.
• Nicotine replacement products are all equally effective, and do not increase to risk heart disease or cancer.
• Once you have successfully quit, DO NOT smoke again. Not even one puff!
• The benefits of smoking cessation begin within 20 minutes of your last cigarette (you heart rate begins to drop), and lasts a lifetime.

OTHER RESOURCES:

• The National Cancer Institute: 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848) and http://www.smokefree.gov
• The American Cancer Society: Double your chances of quitting for good. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 to speak with someone who can help. www.cancer.org
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/index.htm