1.Think Of Someone That You Would Like To See Quit Smoking. 2. Notify A Member Of The Wellness Team Of The Smoker You Have Chosen. 3. That Smoker Will Be Sent A Valentine Smokeout Card

Tobacco is the single greatest cause of disease and premature death in America today. The societal costs of tobacco-related death and disease approach $100 billion each year. Nearly 25 percent of adult Americans currently smoke and 3,000 children and adolescents become regular users of tobacco every day. However, more than 70 percent of all current smokers have expressed a desire to stop smoking.

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” Most people associate smoking with breathing problems such as bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer, but smoking is also a major cause of heart and blood vessel disease.

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” At 20 minutes after quitting: Blood pressure decreases Pulse rate drops Body temperature of hands and feet increases At 24 hours: Nerve endings start regrowing Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” At 2 weeks to 3 months: Circulation improves Walking becomes easier Lung function increases At 1 to 9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” At 1 year: Excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker At 5 years: From 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” At 10 years: Risk of lung cancer drops to as little as ½ that of continuing smokers Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases Risk of ulcer decreases

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” At 15 years: Risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked. Risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked.

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” The risk of having lung cancer and other smoking- related cancers is related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, as measured by the number of cigarettes smoked each day (2 or more packs), the age at which smoking began, and the number of years a person has smoked.

“I enjoy smoking. Why should I quit?” The risk increases steadily with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. In those who smoke 40 or more cigarettes a day, the risk of lung cancer is nearly 20 times the risk in nonsmokers.

“Smoking is my choice and my business. I am not hurting anybody else!” Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease in spouses, high rates of smoking in children of tobacco users, increased risk of low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, middle ear disease, and respiratory infections in children of smokers. Children whose mothers smoke 15 cigarettes a day are 33 percent more likely to develop asthma.

“If I quit smoking, I will get as big as a barn!!!” If you are ready to quit but worry about gaining weight, relax. Quitting does not mean you will automatically gain weight. Many people put away cigarettes without putting on extra pounds.

“If I quit smoking, I will get as big as a barn!!!”  TIPS:  Plan menus carefully and count calories  Be physically active every day or join an exercise group  Weigh yourself only once a week. More frequent weighings are misleading.  Don’t set your quit date for a holiday when lots of high calorie foods will be hard to resist.  Always carry sugarless gum and artificially sweetened mints. Try eating only one piece of candy at a time. Cinnamon hard candy is preferred.  Find things that keep your hands busy but don’t involve food.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 1.Mobilize you mind and body! Write down all the reasons why you want to quit. Smoking is bad for my health. My secondhand smoke hurts the health of everyone in my family. I want to get rid of my smoker’s cough. I want to be in control of my life, not a slave to a habit. I don’t want to keep spending money on cigarettes. I want to save time by eliminating smoking breaks, buying, cigarettes, etc. Smoking makes my clothes and hair smell bad. Smoking increases wrinkling of my skin. Read this list several times a day. Repeat one reason 10 times.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 2.Commit to quit. Push away negative thoughts. Focus on how much better your life will be without cigarettes, not how hard quitting might be.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 3.Wrap your cigarette pack with paper and rubber bands. Each time you smoke, write down the time of day, what you are doing, how you feel, and how important that cigarette is on a scale of 1 to 5. Then rewrap the pack.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 4.Set a target date to quit. Consider your birthday, an anniversary, holiday or other special day. If you smoke a lot at work, quit during your vacation. Don’t let anything change your target date.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 5.Care for your body. Start a moderate exercise program, drink more fluids, get lots of rest and avoid fatigue. 6.Critique cigarette ads. Understand how they try to make their brand appealing.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 7. Smoke fewer cigarettes. Collect all your cigarette butts in a large clear glass jar. Don’t carry matches, and keep your cigarettes out of easy reach. Don’t buy a new pack until you’ve finished the one you are smoking. (Never buy a carton) Practice going without cigarettes. Don’t think of never smoking again. Instead, take it one day at a time. Tell yourself you won’t smoke, then don’t.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 8.Involve someone else. Bet a friend that you can quit on your target date. Put your cigarette money aside every day; then, if you smoke, forfeit it. Ask your spouse or a friend to quit with you. 9. Pack It In - Stop smoking entirely. Throw out all cigarettes and matches. Hide lighters and ashtrays. Create a clean, fresh, nonsmoking environment at home and at work. 10. Stay busy! Go to the movies, exercise, take long walks, go bike riding. Avoid situations closely linked with smoking.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 11.Buy yourself a treat or do something special to celebrate. 12.Go to the dentist and have your teeth cleaned to remove tobacco stains. 13.Find a cigarette substitute. Do deep breathing exercises when you have an urge to smoke. 14.List things you’d like to buy for yourself or someone else. (Estimate the cost in cigarette packs.) In the days that follow, set aside the money you’d have spent on cigarettes. When you’ve saved enough, buy what you want.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 15.How to Slip Without Falling. It is much harder to stay a nonsmoker if you have a cigarette so do everything you can to avoid a lapse. If you do slip up, you don’t have to quit your quitting. Keep moving forward and away from cigarettes.  Recognize you’ve had a slip. A slip means a small setback and you smoked a cigarette or two. It doesn’t mean that you are smoking again. But you must do everything you can NOW to get back on track.  Don’t blame yourself. One slip isn’t the end. You have not failed in your mission to quit. Tell yourself that you are a nonsmoker.  Identify the trigger. Make sure you know what triggered your urge to smoke. Then decide how to cope with it the next time it arises.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 16.Know and use various coping skills.  Seek social support. Talk to friends and relatives about your commitment.  Think positively. Remind yourself how far you’ve come.  Know when you are rationalizing. A new nonsmoker may feel tense and Think, “I’ll just have one cigarette to calm myself.” If you have thoughts like this, stop them.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 17. Learn to relax quickly and deeply. Using relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and relaxed concentration is another way to cope with urges. 18.Reward yourself for not smoking. Congratulate yourself each day you don’t smoke. Remind yourself how good it feels to stick to your commitment.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 19.Numerous effective medications are considered reliable to increase long term smoking abstinence rates:  Bupropion SR (Wellbutrin)  Nicotine gum  Nicotine inhaler  Nicotine nasal spray  Nicotine patch

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? 20.Ask your physician to assist you in your smoking cessation.

“What is the best way to quit smoking for good? GOOD LUCK!!!! ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED IN THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.