WASHINGTON, D.C. -- If quitting smoking on New Year’s Day never works for you, don’t worry, don’t give up and don’t procrastinate until next January, says a national foundation that helps smokers who want to quit and prevents youth from starting to smoke. The American Legacy Foundation® says smokers should not pin all their hopes and aspirations on that one day to be a successful quitter. Instead of waiting for the start of the New Year to roll around, the start of each week can signal a new beginning and be a chance to renew your commitment to quit smoking. With tobacco remaining the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S., and a leading cause of death and disease globally, there is no time better than the present to quit smoking to extend or save your life.
“’Healthy Monday’ puts health on the calendar every week, a culturally fixed day, 52 weeks a year, when Americans focus on forming (or re-forming) better health habits,” said Dr. Allan Rosenfield, with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, which has taken a leadership role in championing a wide range of Healthy Monday initiatives to promote healthy lifestyle changes. “Quitting smoking is one element of this high awareness, national health campaign that motivates people to re-commit to their resolutions each week and keep trying.”
Seventy percent of the nation’s smokers want to quit, and 41 percent made a quit attempt for at least one day. Former smokers report trying a number of times before quitting successfully. Each attempt is a step in the right direction, so the foundation encourages smokers to begin again each Monday until they are able to quit for good.
“Many smokers feel that they have failed after making a resolution or a promise to a loved one and then they relapse,” foundation President and CEO Cheryl Healton, Dr. P.H., said. “Making the decision to stop smoking isn’t easy because it means a smoker is trying to fight a powerful addiction. With the right planning and preparation, any day can be a good day to quit, so they should try again.”
The foundation acknowledges that quitting smoking is tough, but it offers three steps that can help smokers who want to quit build a plan that will help.
- Choose to quit. Becoming an ex-smoker is a powerful act. Smokers should commit to quitting by setting a quit date and clearly identifying their reasons for quitting.
- Create a plan. Give yourself at least 5 days to “get ready” to quit.
- Your plan should include:
- Medication. Talk to your doctor about medications that can help you deal with cravings and dramatically boost your chances of quitting successfully. Safe and effective medications – like the patch, lozenges or gum - are available by prescription and over the counter. (Pregnant smokers and those under 18 should consult a doctor before using any medications).
- Get professional counseling. Find a professional who can help you know what to expect and how to handle tough situations when quitting. Utilize smoking cessation clinics and group support meetings in your community, or take advantage of telephone counseling. You can call 1-800-QUITNOW for free counseling anywhere in the country.
- Get social support. Tell your family, friends and co-workers about your plan to quit so they can help you through the stressful times. When socializing or going out, ask them to spend time with you in smoke-free environments.
- Keep Trying. Quitting is difficult, so if at first you don’t succeed, try again. By using all of these tools – medication, counseling and support – you can improve your chances of quitting successfully.
Smokers who want to learn more about the true stories of two smokers who went through the difficult process of quitting can look to two foundation programs – Bob Quits and Mary Quits. The campaigns use a reality-television based approach to document in short daily videos the common pitfalls of the quitting process, while also offering common tools and tips that any smoker can find useful. Both programs are available on-line at www.bobquits.com and www.maryquits.com.
The American Legacy Foundation® is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. Located in Washington, D.C., the foundation develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco use through grants, technical assistance and training, youth activism, strategic partnerships, counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns, research, public relations, and outreach to populations disproportionately affected by the toll of tobacco. The foundation’s national programs include Circle of Friends®, Great Start®, a Priority Populations Initiative, Streetheory® and truth®. The American Legacy Foundation was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five US territories, and the tobacco industry. Visit www.americanlegacy.org.
###
Contact: Julia Cartwright, 202-454-5596 , jcartwright@americanlegacy.org