Discount Cigarettes News
Oct 17th, 2007 - 10:19:21
Here are 10 tips on how to kick the cigarette smoking habit: 1. Make a list of why you want to stop smoking, the benefits of not smoking and obstacles that may occur. Dr. Thomas Glynn, director of cancer science and trends for the American Cancer Society in Washington, suggests laminating the list and keeping it with you. He said the list could include wanting to walk up a flight of stairs with out huffing and puffing, seeing grandchildren, not wanting to have stained teeth or not wanting to smell like an ashtray. 2. Change your environment. Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car and place of work. Don’t allow guests to smoke in your home. 3. Set a quit date — ideally a birthday or anniversary, not a holiday. 4. Get support and encouragement. Tell your family, friends and coworkers that you want their support. Studies have shown that you will have a better chance of being successful with help. Ask them not to smoke around you and not to leave their cigarette packs laying around. 5. Seek professional help. Talk to your health care provider. Get individual, group or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Local hospitals and health centers provide smoking cessation classes. Ask your local health department about programs in your area. 6. Adopt new behaviors. Postpone having that first cigarette in the morning, instead try deep-breathing exercises. Chewing gum can work, too, or even working on a crossword puzzle. Go for a walk, get into a conversation or get busy with a task. Change your daily routine. Use a new route to work. Eat breakfast in a different place. Take up exercising or read a book. 7. Get medication and use it correctly. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved seven medications to help smokers quit. Five of them are nicotine substitutes such as gums, inhalers, nasal sprays or patches. Zyban, available by prescription, reduces the craving for nicotine and is also used to treat depression. Another prescription drug, Chantix, blocks nicotine receptors in your brain and stimulates the release of low levels of dopamine to help reduce the signs and symptoms of withdrawal. Wineburg said if hypnotherapy is chosen as a supporting treatment, be aware that most states have no regulations licensing hypnotists. He advises consulting professionals who include hypnotherapy in their practice. Look for a licensed physician or a therapist with a doctorate in psychology. 8. Don’t beat yourself up if you relapse. The first three months after quitting are the hardest. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again. Most people try several times before they finally quit. 9. Be wary of difficult situations: Avoid drinking alcohol. It lowers your chances of success. Avoid smokers. Besides the dangers of secondhand smoke, being around smokers could weaken your willpower. Watch your weight. Many smokers will gain when they quit, usually fewer than 10 pounds. Eat a healthful diet and stay active. Don’t let weight gain distract you from your main goal of quitting smoking. 10. Keep cigarettes out of young hands. A bill was recently passed in Congress to allow the FDA to: Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children. Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children. Ban candy- or clove-flavored cigarettes, believed to be starter products for young new smokers. Require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal of harmful ingredients or the reduction of nicotine levels. Prohibit terms such as ``light,’’ ``mild’’ and ``low-tar’’ that mislead consumers into believing certain cigarettes are safer than others. ``The tobacco industry spends $13.5 billion dollars in advertising and marketing in the U.S., which is more than 10 times available for tobacco control,’’ Glynn said. ``The single greatest challenge we have is to get kids from starting to smoke.’’ © Copyright 2006 by DiscountCigarettesBox.Com Top of Page |
