Smoking Cessation Education

We encourage you to write down all the reasons to quit smoking and set a “quit date” for yourself. Here are some suggested steps you can follow to help quit smoking.

Find a reason: You need a powerful, personal reason to quit and get motivated. It may be to protect family from secondhand smoke or lower your chance of getting lung cancer, heart disease, or other health conditions.

Be prepared: Make a list of people to support you and ensure they are aware of your plan so they can help you quit smoking. You may want to consult your provider on methods to quit smoking: smoking support groups/classes, hypnosis or pharmacological assistance.

Find an alternative for smoking: Many people use smoking as a way to relax or unwind. Some other alternatives to smoking may include: exercise, listening to music, connect with friends, massage, or finding a relaxing hobby. Try and avoid stressful situations during the first few weeks after you stop smoking.

Avoid triggers: Avoid situations where you smoke during certain situations. If you usually smoke when drinking alcohol or coffee, find an alternative or avoid the triggers if at all possible. If you smoke while consuming coffee, switch to tea for a few weeks or find something else to do instead.

Cleaning: Once you have smoked your last cigarette, start cleaning. Throw away ash trays and lighters. Wash clothes, clean house including carpets, curtains, and any upholstery that smell of smoke. Place air fresheners to eliminate the scent of smoke. You may want to also clean your car if you smoked in the car.

Try, Try, and try again: If at first you don’t succeed…try, try and try again. Smoking is a lifestyle change, while you are trying to stop smoking you may want to change your lifestyle as well. Keep active, eat more fruits and vegetables and change your lifestyle to continue healthy habits.

Reward yourself: Do not get down on yourself, instead make obtainable time for goals. Once reached reward yourself.

Another resource to help you quit may be the Quit Smoking Hotline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW