For many people smoking is a big part of their way
of coping with stress in their lives. Learning other ways to cope
with stress, or reducing the sources of stress in your life, is
important. It is a process of trying out different ways and doing
what seems to work best for you. Some ideas are doing pleasurable
activities like listening to music, reading, or hobbies; spending
time with friends or family; and being assertive with other people
and saying "no" to some requests.
For some people just taking a break and taking
deep breaths or taking a walk can go a long way toward reducing
tension in the moment.
Yes. Cilia that are paralyzed (and not destroyed) can recover. Chest
and lung conditions that are exacerbated by smoking can also improve,
such as asthma and chest infections. The sooner you stop, the better
your chances of recovering.
Cigarette smoke is estimated to contain over four thousand compounds,
many of which are pharmacologically active, toxic, mutagenic and
carcinogenic. There are also 43 known carcinogens in tobacco smoke.
'Tar' describes the particulate matter which, generated
by burning tobacco, forms a component of cigarette smoke. Each
particle is composed of a large variety of organic and inorganic
chemicals consisting primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a wide range of volatile and semi-volatile
organic chemicals. In its condensate form, tar is a sticky brown
substance that is the main cause of lung and throat cancer in smokers.
Tar can also cause unsightly yellow-brown stains on fingers and
teeth.
Cigarette companies use words like 'light', 'extra light', 'ultra
light', 'mild' and 'special mild' on the packaging of cigarettes
which have been tested by machines to contain less tar and nicotine
than regular brands. Many people assume that 'light' cigarettes are
not as harmful. However smokers of 'light' cigarettes breathe more
deeply, smoke more often and inadvertently cover up the ventilation
holes in the filter with their fingers, absorbing the same amounts
of dangerous chemicals from so-called 'light' cigarettes as they
would from a 'regular' brand.
We would start by asking if you have
tried to quit before and what went wrong. Then
we would talk to them about what would work best
for you. We would also indicate that tapering with support (ie the
Quitline) tends to be more effective. However, if you have tried
tapering numerous times with no success cold turkey may be an option.
We would advise you to pick a quitdate not too far away, however,
not so close you may not be able to fully prepare. It is best to
pick an important meaningful date and a date that is as stress free
as possible.
Your counselor will send you a Tobacco Quit Kit including
your personalized quit plan. The kit will also include "Quit Card" you
can carry with you at all times. The Quit Card allows you to keep
the Quitline number with you, so you can call whenever you have
a question or need encouragement. The Quit Card also contains some
key tips to help you resist the urge to use tobacco.
Your counselor will call you regularly to provide follow-up support
advice and encouragement. The frequency of these calls depends on
what works best for you.
Yes. The tobacco cessation counselors are trained to help people
quit all types of tobacco use. The counselor will work with you to
develop a Quit Plan based on your tobacco use.
There is no time limit on the number of times you can call the Quitline.
You can continue to call the Quitline as long as it is helpful to
you.
We would strongly advise speaking with your doctor. It is best that
you quit ASAP . . . the sooner the better for you and your baby.
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