Smokeout is reminder that quitting starts day at a time

Nita Cadic will never forget the momentous day of Jan. 25, 1984. She completed clinical training for a job caring for patients with emphysema and other lung ailments, often caused by smoking. It was that day she realized she must first take care of her own lungs.

She quit smoking.

Cadic, now a registered respiratory therapist at Piedmont Hospital, views today as one of inspiration for smokers yearning to kick the habit. It’s the 32nd annual Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society, an event that urges millions of smokers to go at least one day without lighting up.

“A day like this can be a very powerful motivator,” said Cadic, who also facilitates the “Freedom From Smoking” program at Piedmont. “The Great American Smokeout is one day, and it gives [smokers] an opportunity to think about setting up a plan, even if they start smoking again.”

The number of smokers has dwindled and has fallen below 20 percent for the first time on record, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, an estimated 44 million Americans light up, and smoking is blamed for 438,000 premature deaths every year, according to the American Cancer Society. It projects that half of smokers who continue to smoke will die from smoking-related diseases.

Relapse rates of ex-smokers trying to quit range between 60 percent and 90 percent, but the risk of restarting drops dramatically for those who make it two years without smoking, according to experts.

Cadic understands from experience the difficulty of stopping for good the first try. She tried burying her one-pack-a-day Virginia Slims menthols habit several times before it finally stuck. She believes letting go of tobacco is a process, and each time a smoker stops —- however briefly —- puts him one step closer to ending the deadly habit forever.

Cadic urges smokers to change their routine, beginning with using a different coffee cup in the morning and adding a hobby like crocheting or woodworking to keep their hands busy. Experts say nicotine gums and medication as well as acupuncture and hypnotherapy can be effective but work best when combined with a plan and support groups.

In the program Cadic facilitates, smokers don’t even quit until the fourth week, to give them time to make lifestyle changes and mentally prepare for a life without tobacco.

Cadic said she was helped most by what she calls “positive talk.”

“Self talk is very important, and we can really build ourselves up. Say things like, ‘I can do this. I am going to feel better. I am proud of myself.’ “

Thomas Glynn, director of cancer, science and trends for the American Cancer Society, thinks smokers face an extra incentive to end their nicotine addiction —- the cost of cigarettes. The average smoker spends $1,500 a year on cigarettes, he said.

“With this economy, it adds another element to quitting.”

TIPS FOR QUITTING

> Review your reasons for quitting, and think about all of the benefits to your health, finances and family.

> Ride out the desire to smoke. Remind yourself that there is no such thing as just one cigarette —- or even one puff.

> Avoid alcohol. The two often go hand in hand, and drinking increases your odds of smoking again.

> Avoid temptation. Stay away from people and places where you’ll be tempted to smoke.

> Stay busy. Exercise or do a hobby such as needlework or woodworking to keep your hands busy.

> Drink lots of water and other fluids.

> Delay. If you feel that you are about to light up, tell yourself to wait at least 10 minutes. Often, the wait will soften the urge to smoke.

> Join a stop-smoking program at your local hospital, or set up individual counseling that’s face to face or over the telephone.

> Reward yourself. Put the money you would spend on cigarettes in a jar and buy yourself a weekly treat. Or save up for a major purchase. Or reward yourself in ways that are free —- go to the library or visit a park.

RESOURCES

Many local hospitals have stop-smoking programs, and they’re not the only ones.

> Piedmont Hospital’s “Freedom From Smoking,” which is part of a collaborative effort with the American Lung Association, begins a seven-week program Jan. 13. Meets 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: $25. Information, registration: 404-605-3564.

> DeKalb Medical has a smoking cessation class that meets 7:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays. Free. DeKalb Medical Wellness Center, 2701 N. Decatur Road, Decatur. Call 404-501-2222.

> American Cancer Society offers “Fresh Start” smoking-cessation programs at varied locations such as businesses. A group of employees or a community group can request the free, four-week program. Call 1-800-227-2345.

> Call Georgia Tobacco Quit Line, 1-877-270-7867, for free “coaching sessions” to help put together a plan for quitting.

> The American Lung Association has a free online smoking-cessation program called “Freedom From Smoking.” Go to www.lungusa.org.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

OVER THE COUNTER

These are available without a prescription, but it’s still best to consult a doctor before using them.

Check with your provider to see if nicotine replacement items might covered under your insurance plan. In Georgia, Medicaid does not cover nicotine replacement products.

Nicotine patch

Similar to an adhesive bandage, the patch releases a constant amount of nicotine into the body. Must be worn all day.

Side effects: Headaches, dizziness and mild itching.

Cost: About $4 a day for a starter box that contains 14 patches.

Nicotine gum

Not designed to be chewed like gum but to be “parked” between your gum and cheek after a few bites to break it down. Delivers nicotine to the brain more quickly than the patch. New coffee flavor now available as well as one that promises to whiten teeth.

Side effects: If gum is chewed, stomachache and cigarette craving.

Cost: About $4.50 a day for average use for first six weeks of use.

Nicotine lozenge

Hard candy that releases nicotine slowly. Each lozenge lasts 20 to 30 minutes.

Side effects: Indigestion and soreness of teeth and gums.

Cost: $6 per day for average use for first six weeks of use.

BY PRESCRIPTION ONLY

Nicotine nasal spray

Dispensed from a pump bottle similar to over-the-counter decongestant sprays, the spray gives a rapid “hit” of nicotine. Typical dosage is two sprays, one in each nostril.

Side effects: Nose and throat irritations.

Cost: $5 per day average for average use.

Non-nicotine pill

Bupropion hydrochloride is also known as Zypan (also sold as an antidepressant under the name Wellbutrin). Treatment begins while the user is still smoking, one week before the quit date. If there’s no significant progress toward abstinence by the seventh week, should be discontinued.

Side effects: Insomnia, dry mouth and dizziness.

Cost: About $2 per day.

Non-nicotine pill Chantix

The most recent nicotine-free drug to gain FDA approval, it boasts an active ingredient that cuts the pleasure of smoking and reduces withdrawal symptoms.

Side effects: Nausea, headache, vomiting and vivid and strange dreams.

Cost: About $2 per day.

Sources: American Lung Association, American Cancer Society