The first 1,000 people to join the contest receive a free T-shirt with their personal number (1-1,000). Participants will also have the chance to win $1,000— participants must stay tobacco-free for at least two consecutive weeks and enlist a friend or family member to verify progress. The winner will be chosen at random. Facebook group participants will have access to quitting tips, tobacco-related health news and a virtual community of support.
David Neville, Media Coordinator with the Utah Department of health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program tells Studio 5 viewers about this important program.
Benefits of quitting:
• Within 48 hours your sense of smell and taste begins to improve
• Within 72 hours your lung capacity increases
• Within three months you get sick less often
• After 1 year your risk of heart attack decreases by half
Tips to quit:
√ Pick the date and mark it on your calendar.
√ Write down the reasons why you want to quit and review them regularly.
√ Tell friends and family of your quit day.
√ Remove tobacco products from your home, office and car.
√ Stock up on sugarless gum, cinnamon sticks, carrot sticks, hard candy, etc.
√ Decide on a plan. Will you use nicotine replacement therapy such as the patch or gum? Will you attend a smoking cessation class? If so, sign up now. How will you avoid triggers?
√ Review past quit attempts. What worked? What didn’t?
√ Practice saying, “No thank you, I don’t smoke.”
√ Avoid alcohol for at least the first two weeks after your quit day.
√ Consider medications; nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion SR, or varenicline to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
√ Call the Utah Tobacco Quit Line or log on to Utah QuitNet.
√ Set up a support system. This could be the Utah Tobacco Quit Line, Utah QuitNet, a group class, Nicotine Anonymous, or a friend who has successfully quit and is willing to help you.
Ideas to help keep your commitment to quitting:
• Avoid people and places where you are tempted to smoke. Later on you will be able to handle these with more confidence.
• Alter. For example, switch to soft drinks or water instead of alcohol or coffee. Take a different route to work; take a brisk walk instead of a coffee/smoke break.
• Alternatives. Use oral substitutions such as sugarless gum, toothpicks, hard candy, raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, or sunflower seeds. Handling substitutes such as stress balls can also be helpful.
• Activities. Exercise or hobbies that keep your hands busy (needlework, woodworking, etc.) can help distract you from the urge to smoke.
• Deep Breathing. When you were smoking, you breathed deeply as you inhaled the smoke. When the urge strikes now, breathe deeply and picture your lungs filling with fresh, clean air. Remind yourself of your reasons for quitting and the benefits you’ll gain as an ex smoker.
• Delay. If you feel that you are about to light up, delay. Tell yourself you must wait at least ten minutes. Often this simple trick will allow you to move beyond the strong urge to smoke.
For help in quitting, call the Utah Tobacco Quit Line at 1-888-567 TRUTH or visit www.utahquitnet.com
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