Did you
know today there are more former smokers than current smokers? That is an
amazing statistic!
Was your New Year’s resolution to quit smoking? If it was,
you are probably reaching the tipping point right now; it is a crucial point in
time whether you will quit and revert to your old habits, or you’ll forge ahead
onto a happier, healthier, and richer (!!!) you.
Maybe you just need a little guidance. Fortunately, Forrest
Young – pharmacist/part-owner of our three locations in Wausau and one location
in Merrill, was able to provide me with a little insight in ways to aid in
quitting smoking.
Stop-Smoking
Aides
According to Forrest, essentially, there are four common
aides to smoking cessation. The most common are nicotine patches and nicotine gum.
Both are available over the counter – some of the more common brands are:
Nicorette® (gum and lozenges), Nicotrol® (gum), NicoDerm CQ® (patch), and Habitrol®
(patch). Some available prescription medications include Chantix® and Zyban®
(bupropion). For those who prefer the feel of a cigarette, there is the option
of nicotine inhalers, which work by dispensing saturated nicotine through the
lining of the mouth and upper esophagus as air is inhaled through the device.
Forrest also mentioned the use of support programs significantly improves the chances of a
positive outcome when trying to quit smoking.
<Photo courtesy of whatafy.com>
CDC Facts
If you need that final push to keep you motivated and on the
right track, here are a few facts I pulled off the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website, regarding smoking cessation:
· Smoking cessation lowers the risk for lung and other
types of cancer.
· Smoking cessation reduces the risk for coronary heart
disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Coronary heart disease risk
is substantially reduced within 1 to 2 years of cessation.
· Smoking cessation reduces respiratory symptoms, such
as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. The rate of decline in lung
function is slower among persons who quit smoking.
· Smoking cessation reduces the risk of developing
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the leading causes of
death in the United States.
· Smoking cessation by women during their reproductive
years reduces the risk for infertility. Women who stop smoking during pregnancy
also reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby.
· Cigarette smoke contains a deadly mix of more than
7,000 chemicals; hundreds are toxic and about seventy can cause cancer.
Above all else, in Forrest’s words: “Regardless of what
method a person tries, contact with and support and advice from a person’s
doctor is advisable.”
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