American Association of Public Health Physicians - Advice for Smokers from one member

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Advice for Smokers from one member

Member Wisdom Page. This is an AAPHP member wisdom page. It represents the opinon of one of our members. It is not a policy statement,and it is not medical advice. It is simply one opinion. This page was written by member Virginia Dato based upon her volunteer work talking to smokers and lessons learned while on the AAPHP Tobacco Control Task Force. For official AAPHP Policy go to http://aaphp.org/tobacco.

Smoke is dangerous and deadly over the long term.

Nicotine is highly addictive. It can be very difficult to quit.

What is a smoker to do?

1. Just quit! GO to: http://whyquit.com/ (free) or http://www.allencarr.com/ (fee) for advice

If you can't (or won't) quit?

2. Get professional help, some of which you already pay for when you buy your cigarettes (through the tobacco settlement fund). See your clinician or go to: http://www.smokefree.gov/ or call 1800 QUIT NOW or 1 800 784 8669 for free resources.

If you still can't (or won't) quit!

3. Consider smoke free tobacco products and/or long term nicotine replacement products. You still get the addictive nicotine with its side effects but you don't get the far more deadly and dangerous smoke. Switching could save your life if you can't quit nicotine right now. And eventually you can quit even these less dangerous products. For information on nicotine replacement products go to http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm198176.htm#nicotine . For information on smoke free tobacco products go to: http://www.smokersonly.org/ or http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

And if you still can't quit smoking?

Try Try Try Again! Most smokers who eventually quit tried multiple times before finality succeeding. Please accept my very best wishes for a happy, healthy and productive life.