Deciding you’re ready to stop smoking is an important choice for your personal health and those close to you. It can also be a decision that causes fear, anxiety and stress.
To successfully quit smoking, you should have a specific plan and a support system in place to ensure success.
A variety of resources and medications can help increase your chances of successfully quitting and many of them may be covered by health insurance.
Everyone has heard the health risks associated with using tobacco products, and yet, about 1 out of 5 Americans still smoke.1 You may be a long-term smoker or someone who uses only occasionally, but stopping all tobacco use at any age comes with big benefits.
There are immediate and long-term health benefits of quitting. These include improved circulation, reduced coughing and shortness of breath, decreased stroke risk, reduced lung cancer and other cancer risks.2
Ask your Aurora pharmacist for assistance choosing a product and for instructions on how to use it. Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges are all available without a prescription. Nicotine nasal spray and inhaler both require a prescription for use.
7. Non-medication options: If medication treatments aren’t for you, there are other options that have successful results.Some people can give up cold turkey. Others use a gradual withdrawal approach.
If you prefer technology, consider a gadget called the QuitKey®. It’s a handheld computer that tracks your smoking habits and creates a personalized plan to help you gradually smoke less by following its recommendations. Find out more at http://www.quitkey.com/
We recommend discussing your options with a health care provider before you get started.
There are plenty of resources for successfully quitting. How can you ensure your success? By having your friends and family behind you!
An important key to success is knowing that you are in charge of quitting. Nothing happens until you decide it.
If you don’t have a provider you trust, you can find a qualified provider online. Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit organization.
We wish you success with your plan to quit smoking!