BRATTLEBORO — The American Cancer Society (ACS) marked its 37th Great American Smokeout last week by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day.
According to ACS, by committing to quitting - even for one day - smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life, one that can lead to reducing cancer risk.
For the technology-savvy smoker, there are reinforcements via social media and smart phones. Smokers can “like” the American Cancer Society Facebook page, along with thousands of others, and join a community of supporters.
Badges and icons are available for smokers with statements like “I'm a Quitter” to post to profile pictures and timelines in support. Supporters of quitters have options such as “I'm married to a Quitter” or “I love a Quitter” to show their love and support.
Smart phone applications like Quit it - Stop Smoking and Livestrong MyQuit Coach, provide daily support customized to the individual smoker. Smokers can create a profile including how many cigarettes they smoke daily, cost per pack, and a target quit date.
The Quit it application timer begins on the quit date and calculates money saved, the total amount of tar avoided and an up-to-the-minute report on how long it's been since quitting.
The Livestrong app works similarly but also allows you to log each time you've had a craving or smoke a cigarette, which allows smokers to see their history of cravings and cheats.
Both applications send alerts for accomplishments and when changes occur in the body according to the length of the cessation.
The benefits to using these applications are significant when smokers are feeling weary and need a boost of support. Seeing real-time results occurring in the body and the wallet can be just the boost needed to remain steady in the commitment to quit.
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Smokers who commit to quit, even just for one day, will begin to receive the benefits almost immediately.
A smoker's blood pressure and heart rate begin to drop just 20 minutes after quitting. Twelve hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal and the risk of sudden heart attack decreases. Nerve endings will begin to regenerate, and sense of smell and taste will begin to return to normal.
Within two to three months after quitting, circulation improves and lung function increases.
Just one year after quitting, the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker's.
The long-term benefits of quitting smoking are compelling. Cervical cancer risk decreases to that of a non-smoker, and stroke risk can decrease to that of a non-smoker after two to five years.
After five years of quitting smoking, the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder is reduced by half.
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With all the compelling facts and data around the benefits of smoking, it should be a no-brainer to quit, right?
Wrong. Any smoker will tell you that. If quitting smoking was as easy as knowing the facts, we'd probably be a smoke-free country by now. Smokers need an arsenal of support.
The American Cancer Society website provides a host of support, including quit guides and and anti-smoking programs.
Locally, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Grace Cottage Hospital offer tobacco cessation programs, including free group coaching, nicotine replacement therapy, and a custom quit plan to prepare you for your quit date and beyond. Contact the hospital directly for more information.
Community prevention coalitions in the Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, and Deerfield Valley areas are also working to create smoke-free events and workplaces.
There have never been more resources to help smokers commit to quit. If you or someone you love is struggling to quit, there's more help than ever before; but, there's nothing like having a friend by your side.
Let's continue to stand together and support our friends, family, coworkers, and community members who smoke to commit to quit.
In the words of Aristotle, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Let's do this, Windham County.