- Smoking is one of the worst habits to start, and one of the toughest to quit. Smoking leads to lung cancer and other serious health problems. The best way to prevent this damage is to never start smoking, but the second-best way is to quit.
The Great American Smokeout is a chance for smokers of all ages to “pack” up their cigarettes and quit smoking. On Thursday November 17, 2005 the American Cancer Society encourages our Nation's 50 million smokers to say “no thanks” to cigarettes for just one day.
In the past, nearly one-third of all smokers have joined in. They swap stories about how hard it is to live without cigarettes, share advice about quitting, and support one another throughout the day.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in this country and secondhand smoke contributes to more than 50,000 deaths. Over 46 million adults in the U.S. are smokers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The positive health benefits from quitting are almost immediate. Breathing difficulties should reduce in a very short time, your risk for heart attack will drop markedly, your mouth will be fresher and food will taste better.
There is no denying that it's hard to quit smoking. Nicotine, present in all tobacco products, is a powerful, highly addictive drug, not unlike heroin or cocaine. Because of its addictiveness, many smokers will try unsuccessfully to stop smoking many times before finally quitting for good. But as hard as it is to quit, making that commitment is an important first step.
The Saint Barnabas Health Care System's Tobacco Dependence Treatment Program can help you stop smoking once and for all.
“Whether you have tried to quit before or are trying to stop tobacco use for the first time, our program recognizes how hard it is to kick the habit and offers a comprehensive treatment service utilizing all of the latest research,” says Connie Greene, director of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System's Institute for Prevention.
Offered through the Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Network's Institute for Prevention and funded by the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services Division of Epidemiology, the Tobacco Dependence Treatment Program includes three main areas of service: assessment; behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy.
Since the Tobacco Dependence Treatment Program's inception in 2000, more than 1,000 people have gone through the program to successfully quit smoking.
Before beginning the program, participants are assessed for their stage of “change readiness,” or their willingness to quit smoking, Greene explained. A comprehensive Nicotine Dependence Evaluation is also conducted.
Individual, group and family therapy is available to encourage and support participants to remain committed to being tobacco-free.
Participants are also given access to a variety of pharmacotherapy aides related to Nicotine Replacement Therapy, which may include a skin patch or chewing gum; as well prescriptions for inhalers, nasal sprays or medication such as Bupropion - all proven to assist with nicotine addiction.
“Because each person is unique, the length of the program will vary for each participant,” Greene said. “Any interested smokers can take advantage of a free tobacco dependence assessment before joining the program.”
After the assessment, the cost of the program is $15 per session. The program will also offer participants nicotine replacement therapies at a discounted rate.
“Don't put it off any longer,” Greene said. “Make the commitment to quit smoking and break your addiction to nicotine.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment with the Saint Barnabas Health Care System's Tobacco Dependence Treatment Program, call (732) 914-1688 ext. 73955 for a free assessment.
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