20% of American adults smoke, a statistic that’s not going down.
From the CDC:
Smokers who use effective cessation aids such as clinician assistance, pharmacotherapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and behavioral counseling (e.g., quitlines) can increase their likelihood of quitting permanently (3). All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and certain U.S. territories have quitlines that can be reached at 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669). Other interventions that increase cessation include implementing sustained media campaigns, reducing patient out-of-pocket treatment costs, increasing the price of tobacco products, and establishing smoke-free environments (4).
The Great American Smokeout (from the American Cancer Society). Quit today, and don’t start if you haven’t already.
Hey there, GruntDoc,
Wow, how did I guess you have never smoked?
Hooray for anyone who can quit cold turkey. I sure couldn’t. Would like to share that the new nicotine replacement products work MUCH better than the old versions did… the first nicotine patches caused nasty skin rashes for lots of people. New ones are much gentler! Plus, the earlier versions of Nicorette were hard as a rock and tasted horrid. Current product is soft, chewable and delicious (mmm, FruitChill!). There are also Nicotine replacement lozenges for people who find gum-chewing repellant. The cherry-flavor tastes terrific. These knock out that antsy-angry-withdrawal feeling, so you can kind of cope with life without cigarettes.
Now, if they could only come up with a product to cure nicotine-replacement product addiction?
It has taken me nearly a year using first zyban and then adding NR gum. I could quit for weeks/months at a time and then fall back into the habit. I tried a year before making a specific appointment with my FP who did the Zyban prescription, handed me a bunch of literature and pointed me to some Internet sites and local groups.
He has been my biggest cheering squad – assuring me that I would become smoke free! He is the BEST and a dying breed of MD I fear.
I must say that having depression treated as a side-benefit was the big thing…smoking must have been, for me, a self-treatment.
Good luck to everyone who tried 24 hours to go without a smoke.
(ahhh….I’ll have to give up listening to Carmen too)
“20% of American adults smoke, a statistic that’s not going down.”
It is if you have a smoking ban passed. Passed a smoking ban here in Lincoln and the smoking rate 1 year later dropped from 21% to 17%. Stayed at 22% at both time periods for the rest of the state.
No smoking in bars, restaurants, home daycares, or any workplaces for the last 2 years. (Only allowed at the residential drug rehab facilities, you can only give up so much at once.) It’s great to go out on the town & not reek of smoke when you get home!