Make Smoking Cessation Your New Year's Resolution

According to the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, the rate of smoking among Canadians has declined by 25% in the last decade. This is great news! If you haven't yet joined the ranks of ex-smokers, make your New Year happier and healthier by resolving to quit.

You've probably heard the statistics: cigarette smoking kills more than 45,000 Canadians every year. According to Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, smokers lose an average of 22 years of life! And for smokers 70 and over, smoking cuts back life expectancy by 8 years, increasing the risk of:

• heart disease
• stroke
• lung cancer
• other forms of cancer, such as mouth, larynx, bladder, kidney and pancreas
• other lung diseases, such as bronchitis, emphysema and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

Smoking ages your skin prematurely and turns your nails yellow. And it also harms those around you. "Second hand smoke" has been shown to affect the health of those who breathe it—especially children.

Why is it so hard to quit?

Smoking is habit-forming in many different ways. Physical dependency (chemical addiction) to nicotine is usually the hardest to overcome. According to government studies, for some people nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Physical symptoms of withdrawal can include depression, irritability, frustration and anger, anxiety, headache, difficulty concentrating and sleeplessness.

Like any habit, smoking can be hard to stop because smoking is also mentally—and even socially—addictive. Many smokers report, "At first I didn't know what to do with my hands after I quit" or "I felt left out when my friends were taking a smoke break."

The good news: it's never too late to quit!

Even if you've been a smoker for years, if you quit NOW, the benefits start right away. You can do it! Every year, millions of people are successfully able to "kick the habit." Here are three main resources to help:

1) Support groups, counseling and classes

People who have lots of support from family, friends or smoking cessation support groups are more often successful than those who try to quit on their own. Do you have a friend or group of friends who also want to quit? Form a "buddy system" for encouragement and support.

"Stop-smoking" classes can also be effective. Ask your healthcare provider, or call your local 1-800 Quit Line for classes in your area. The Canadian Cancer Society also offers the Smokers' Helpline and referrals to classes.

2) Nicotine replacement therapy or nicotine substitutes (nicotine patch, gum, nasal spray, or inhaler)

These products help control the urge to smoke by delivering nicotine into your system, without the harmful carbon monoxide, tar and other poisons contained in cigarettes. Talk to your health care professional about which form is best for you. It is important to follow the instructions carefully for best results, and to avoid side effects.

3) Oral medication

Your health care provider might also prescribe the newer anti-smoking pills, which do not contain nicotine, but contain ingredients that cut down the craving and lessen the withdrawal symptoms.

Helpful Hints from Ex-Smokers

Here are some tips from people who have successfully given up smoking:

• Set a date to quit, and stick to it. 
• Choose a time period when you will be busy but not stressed.
• Change your habits. If you usually have a cigarette during your coffee break, go for a walk instead.
• Get rid of your cigarettes and ashtrays—at home, at work, in your car.
• Tell people that you're trying to quit; their support and understanding can help. (Ex-smokers may be especially encouraging!)
• If you slip up, start again! 
• Try to figure out what situations tempt you to smoke, and stay out of situations where you might be tempted to have "just one." Some common "danger points" are being around smoking; stress; and consuming alcoholic beverages.

Focus on the Benefits

Post the following list on your refrigerator, or near your ashtray, and when you are tempted to have a cigarette, read through the list as a reminder of all the benefits that will come to you when your smoking cessation process is over. You can expect:

• Improved health and energy
• Food to taste better
• A sense of self-control
• Increased life expectancy

And don't forget...

• You won't have to stand out in the rain during coffee breaks.
• Airline travel will be much more pleasant.
• You'll smell better.
• You'll reduce the danger of accidental fires.

Remember—the health benefits begin as soon as you quit. According to the Lung Association, after only one year of quitting, your risk of heart attack is cut in half. And as your lungs heal, your risk of lung cancer drops also.

Think How Much Money You'll Save!

Multiply the price of the number of packs you smoke each day by 365 days per year. That's how much more money you'll have when you quit! And if you really want to see a big number, figure out how much you'll save in five or ten years.

Who Can Help?

Visit Health Canada's Go Smokefree to find the 1-800 Quit Line in your province or territory, as well as many other resources to help you or your loved one kick the habit.