Kick the Cigarettes in the Butt
It’s a new year and time to makes some changes.
Let’s start with smoking cigarettes.
What a nasty and expensive habit. The average price for a pack of cigarettes in South Carolina is $6, which means a 1 pack a day smoker is spending over $2000 a year on tobacco. On top of that, smoking costs America $300 billion a year in healthcare costs and lost productivity. Every year nearly half a million people die as a result of smoking tobacco, some from second hand exposure—that’s one in five deaths every year.
All this destruction and waste from one bad habit. Depressing.
The best way to improve this health issue is don’t start smoking. Easy enough. But the cigarette companies make it real addictive on purpose. They know exactly what they are doing and they focus on younger generations and teens to market using cartoon camels and “hip” scenes. We need kids to know smoking is not cool; in fact it stinks, makes you sick, and costs a lot of money. We can all be role models there.
If you smoke now, let’s work on stopping, ASAP.
Here are some tips from WebMD:
- Get Motivated: think about all the reason to stop—money, health, breathing
- Get a plan: pick a quit date and tell friends and family for support; see your physician for help before that quit date
- Consider Nicotine replacement: Patches, gums, lozenges are available over-the-counter without a prescription. 20 to 50% effective
- Consider Prescription medication: like Wellbutrin or Chantix. 30 to 50% effective but can have side effects that your physician should describe
- Avoid triggers: like eating in bars, visiting the “smoking” area at work, and drinking alcohol (which lowers your control).
- Use sugar free suckers or chewing gum to keep your mouth busy.
- Try to exercise like walking every day. This helps your mind stay clear and helps limit weight gain from stopping smoking.
- Don’t give up. Keep trying as the CDC says it take 8 to 11 tries for most smokers to stop.
- Reward yourself. I tell folks to put $5 in a jar everyday they don’t smoke for a year. Then a the end of a year they should have about $2000 to take a trip, buy new clothes or share with others.
The time is now. No more excuses.
We can help you at Direct Access MD--No ifs, ands, or BUTTS.