Healthy Living

Nobody wants to be thought of as a quitter, except in the case of smoking cigarettes. Tobacco use remains the largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US. This is not news. If everyone knows that smoking causes health problems, why do 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes?

Maybe it will help to think about how it affects our wallets? In 2009, the federal tobacco tax increase added 62 cents to the price of each pack of cigarettes — bringing the total tax to $1.01 per pack. If one pack of cigarettes cost $8.25, then a one-pack-per-day smoker would spend $57.75 in just one week. These costs and the current economy might be just the motivation you need to join the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout Thursday, Nov. 19, and finally quit for good.

Besides saving on cigarettes, quitting smoking could also save you the cost of breath mints, cough drops, and cleaning expenses for your clothes, home, and car. And perhaps more important, you can avoid many costs from doctor visits and medicines for the diseases and other health issues caused by smoking or by exposure to secondhand smoke.

For the best chance at success, your plan should include one or more of these options. On your quit day, follow these suggestions, offered by the American Cancer Society.

• Do not use tobacco — not even one puff or chew!
• Stay active — try walking, exercising, or doing other activities or hobbies.
• Drink lots of water and 100% juices.
• Start using nicotine replacement if that’s your plan.
• Avoid situations where the urge to smoke or use tobacco is strong.
• Limit or avoid alcohol.
• Think about changing your routine: Use a different route to get to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place or eat different foods.

To get help quitting, visit cancer.org/smokeout or call the American Cancer Society, anytime day or night, at 1-800-227-2345.

So on Thursday, Nov. 19, during the Great American Smokeout event, inspire the smokers in your life to use this day to go the distance, and to quit. This is the day quitting smoking becomes a team sport. Along with the American Cancer Society, we encourage everyone to get ready to quit like champions.