USF-COM Department of Family Medicine

Commit to Quit Smoking:

Real advice for real people

by Lance Page, Class of 1999

• Hurting Yourself
• Hurting Others
• Why quit ?
• Getting ready to quit
• On the day you quit
• Staying quit
• Nicotine gum or patches
• Prescription Medications
• More Information

Hurting Yourself

• Smoking is an addiction. Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, a drug that is addictive and can make it very hard, but not impossible, to quit.
• With each puff of a cigarette you take your body is exposed to over 4,000 chemicals, 43 of which are known to cause cancer.
• More than 400,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are from smoking-related illnesses. Smoking greatly increases your risk for lung cancer and many other cancers.

Hurting Others

• Smoking harms not just the smoker, but also others who breathe the smoker's cigarette smoke, called secondhand smoke.
• Among infants to 18 months of age, secondhand smoke is associated with as many as 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year.
• Secondhand smoke from a parent's cigarette increases a child's chances for middle ear problems, causes coughing and wheezing, and worsens asthma conditions.
• Children whose parents smoke have a high risk of becoming future smokers.
• Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies whose weights are too low for the babies' good health. If all women quit smoking during pregnancy, about 4,000 new babies would not die each year.

Why Quit?

• Quitting smoking makes a difference right away
• You can taste and smell food better.
• Your breath smells better.
• Your cough goes away.
• You will have better exercise performance.
• This happens for men and women of all ages. It happens for healthy people as well as those who already have a disease or condition caused by smoking.
• Quitting smoking cuts the risk of lung cancer, many other cancers, heart disease, stroke, other lung diseases, and other respiratory illnesses.
• Ex-smokers have better health than current smokers. Ex-smokers have fewer days of illness, fewer health complaints, and less bronchitis and pneumonia than current smokers.
• Quitting smoking saves money. A pack-a-day smoker, who pays $2 per pack, can expect to save more than $700 per year. It appears that the price of cigarettes will continue to rise in coming years, as will the financial rewards of quitting.

Getting Ready to Quit

• Set a date for quitting. Your quit date should be no more than a month away. Don’t choose a date in a stressful time, since that may hurt your chances for success. If possible, have a friend quit smoking with you.
• Notice when and why you smoke. Try to find the things in your daily life that you often do while smoking (such as drinking your morning cup of coffee or driving a car).
• Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your other hand. Don't do anything else when smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke.
• Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors.
• When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try to think of something to do instead of smoking; you might chew gum or drink a glass of water.
• Buy one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to a brand of cigarettes you don't like.

On the Day You Quit

• Get rid of all your cigarettes.
• Put away your ashtrays.
• Change your morning routine. When you eat breakfast, don't sit in the same place at the kitchen table.
• Stay busy.
• When you get the urge to smoke, do something else instead.
• Carry other things to put in your mouth, such as gum, hard candy, carrot or cinnamon sticks, sunflower seeds, or a toothpick. Even sucking on or inhaling air through straws fakes out the craving. Remember, as time goes on, the cravings will come less often and be less intense
• Reward yourself at the end of the day for not smoking. See a movie or go out and enjoy your favorite meal.

Staying Quit

• Don't worry if you are sleepier or more short-tempered than usual; these feelings will pass.
• Try to exercise -- take walks or ride a bike. These activities help you direct the new energy you feel.
• Consider the positive things about quitting, such as how much you like yourself as a non-smoker, health benefits for you and your family, and the example you set for others around you. A positive attitude will help you through the tough times.
• When you feel tense, try to keep busy, think about ways to solve the problem, tell yourself that smoking won't make it any better, and go do something else.
• Feeling hungry is sometimes mistaken for the desire to smoke. Drink lots of water, juice, and other low-calorie liquids. Eat three healthy, balanced meals. If you must snack, choose low-calorie foods such as raw fruits and vegetables.
• Start a money jar with the money you save by not buying cigarettes.
• Let others know that you have quit smoking -- most people will support you. Many of your smoking friends may want to know how you quit.
• Don’t tell yourself that smoking one cigarette now and then is okay. In terms of your health, even one or two cigarettes aren’t safe. People who smoke one or two cigarettes a day are more likely to return to their previous level of smoking after a brief time.
• If you slip and smoke, don't be discouraged. Many former smokers tried to stop several times before they finally succeeded. Quit again.
• If you need more help, see your doctor.
• He or she may prescribe nicotine gum, a nicotine patch, or medication to help you break your addiction to cigarettes.

Nicotine gum or patches

• Nicotine withdrawal symptoms will probably begin almost immediately after you stop smoking. Symptoms include irritability, headaches, nervousness and poor concentration. These will lessen after 3 to 4 days, but may linger for weeks depending on your nicotine dependence.
• Although these symptoms cause you discomfort, they are really your body’s signs of healing.
• Nicotine chewing gum (i.e. Nicorette and Nicorette DS) or patches you apply on your body (i.e. Habitrol, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol, and Prostep) are available over the counter or by prescription. These nicotine supplements provide a steady amount of nicotine (less than a cigarette), while avoiding the health hazards of smoking.

Prescription Medication

• Some smokers benefit from medications that decrease depression or anxiety. Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is the first antidepressant approved as an aid to quit smoking.
• Your doctor can discuss the advantages and side effects of gum, patches, and prescription medication. Together, you and your doctor can work together to decide which option may be best for you.

For more information on quitting smoking, contact:

Check your local phone directory for smoking cessation resources that may be available in your area, such as local chapters of the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, or state and local health departments.

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