How To Quit Smoking!

The majority of cigarette smokers quit without using evidence-based cessation treatments. However, the following treatments are proven effective for smokers who want help to quit:

·                         Brief clinical interventions (i.e., when a doctor takes 10 minutes or less to deliver advice and assistance about quitting)

·                         Counseling (e.g., individual, group, or telephone counseling)

·                         Behavioral cessation therapies (e.g., training in problem solving)

·                         Treatments with more person-to-person contact and intensity (e.g., more time with counselors)

Cessation medications found to be effective for treating tobacco dependence include the following:

·                         Nicotine replacement products

o                                        Over-the-counter (e.g., nicotine patch, gum, lozenge)

o                                        Prescription (e.g., nicotine inhaler, nasal spray)

·                         Prescription non-nicotine medications, such as bupropion SR (Zyban^®) and varenicline tartrate (Chantix^®).

The combination of medication and counseling is more effective for smoking cessation than either medication or counseling alone.

Quitline Services

1-800-QUIT-NOW is a free telephone support service that can help individuals who want to stop smoking or using tobacco. Callers have access to several types of cessation information and services, including:

·                         Free support and advice from experienced counselors

·                         A personalized quit plan

·                         Self-help materials

·                         Social support and coping strategies

·                         The latest information about cessation medications

·                         Over-the-counter nicotine replacement medications for eligible participants (in more than half of U.S. states)

Information provided by: www.cdc.gov