Smokers: A Healthier Future Starts When You Quit
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Smokers: A Healthier Future Starts When You Quit

Despite significant progress in reducing smoking rates—dropping from 42% in 1965 to about 14% in 2019—approximately 34 million American adults still smoke. In fact, smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., responsible for about 480,000 deaths annually.

The Great American Smokeout serves as a reminder of these statistics and emphasizes that quitting smoking can dramatically reduce cancer risk and improve overall health.

The journey to becoming smoke-free begins with one day. By participating in the Great American Smokeout on November 21 and quitting for just one day, you can begin planning your journey towards being smoke-free for life.

To ensure the best chance of success, it’s helpful to make a plan for how you’ll succeed on November 21 and beyond.

First, stay focused on how quitting will improve your life and health. Did you know that within 8 minutes of quitting smoking your heart rate and blood pressure begin to return to a normal level and your hands and feet begin to warm to their usual temperature?

Click here for more benefits you’ll appreciate in the minutes, hours, weeks, and months after quitting.

Second, seek support.

This includes letting those around you—family, friends, and coworkers—know of your desire to quit and how important it is to you. If they’re smokers, ask them to keep tobacco out of sight

In addition, tap into the many FREE resources are available to support you on journey. Here are just a few places to start.

 

IN VERMONT:

802Quits

802quits.org

A free program offering personalized counseling and tips and tools—including nicotine replacement patches, gum or lozenges, delivered directly to your home—to quit any nicotine or tobacco product. Vermont residents ages 18 and older may be eligible for cash-value gift card rewards, up to $250, for completed coaching calls. Some conditions apply.

My Healthy Vermont

Myhealthyvt.org

Offers free weekly, small-group workshops offered online and in person with trained leaders and fellow aspiring ex-smokers to guide and support you in creating a plan of action for becoming tobacco-free, tips for managing the stress of quitting and cravings, as well as free gum, lozenges, and patches.

For a list of upcoming classes, visit: myhealthyvt.org/workshop_dates/?cat=4

My Life My Quit

vt.mylifemyquit.org

Designed specifically for teens under age 18 who want to stop using tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. The program combines best practices using real-time talk, texting and online chat for youth to reach a Tobacco Cessation Coach to receive smart, simple and effective help.

 

IN MASSACHUSETTS:

1-800-QUIT-NOW

1-800-784-8669

Call for free, confidential one-on-one coaching from a trained Quit Coach by phone or online who share strategies to curb cravings, handle life’s big and small stresses, and tackle relapses. Quit Coaches can help you connect with quit-smoking medicines through your health insurer or community programs and may also be able to provide you send an initial two-week supply to your home at no cost to you.

My Life My Quit

ma.mylifemyquit.org

Designed specifically for teens under age 18 who want to stop using tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes. The program combines best practices using real-time talk, texting and online chat for youth to reach a Tobacco Cessation Coach to receive smart, simple and effective help.

 

IN NEW YORK:

New York State Smokers’ Quitline   

1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487)

Call to be connected to a trained Quit Coach who can support and guide you as you navigate a path to smoke-free living.

Learn2QuitNY

Text 716-309-4688 to participate in a six-week text messaging program that will take you through the quitting process step-by-step. 

This Is Quitting

Text “DROPTHEVAPE” to 88709 

A free texting support program for teens and young adults (ages 13-24) looking to quit vaping. Parents can also text “QUIT” to 202-899-7550 to receive daily advice to help youth quit.

Virtual The Butt Stops Here Program  

A free 7-week online group tobacco cessation program that meets once per week with a trained facilitator. To register or for more information, email ButtStopsHereNY@gmail.com.

 

In addition, the American Cancer Society (ACS) offers Empowered to Quit, a free, email-based program to help you quit smoking. Developed by researchers at the ACS, improves the odds of successfully quitting by 47%.

 

Kim Fodor, MD, is a primary care physician at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department.

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SVMC Creates Virtual Waiting Room to Encourage Distancing

BENNINGTON, VT—May 29, 2020—Starting Monday, many people who need in-person appointments at Southwestern Vermont Health Care's (SVHC) hospital and clinics will no longer need to use traditional waiting rooms. A virtual system created by the hospital allows patients to call 802-447-5000 when they arrive in the parking lot and receive a text message when their provider is ready to see them.

SVMC's outpatient and inpatient surgeries and diagnostic services, like those for imaging and laboratory work, have resumed with enhanced safety protocols per the directive of Governor Phil Scott. The health system's emergency department, ExpressCare, emergency surgical services, and most of its primary and specialty practices remained open during the pandemic.

"SVHC has provided safe, high-quality care throughout the pandemic." Said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) president and CEO. "Innovation has been an important part of providing care during these extraordinary times and this new program decreases the number of people in our waiting rooms and allows them to stay the recommended 6 feet apart or more."

In order to use the virtual waiting room, patients must be able to wait in their vehicle and have a charged cell phone with them. They will receive the virtual waiting room telephone number during their appointment-reminder telephone call. Signs outside the building and at the respiratory check-in stations inside the main hospital and medical office building entrances will also include the number to call.

Patients simply call the number when they arrive in the parking lot and wait in their cars. When the provider is ready to see them, they will receive a text message alert to indicate that they should come in.

"We love that we can use the same technology that most people carry with them to help people stay socially distanced," said Gail Balch, RN, who directs information technology at SVMC. "It's through innovations like this one that we are able to resume services safely and ensure patients receive the care they need."

Hospital and clinic staff anticipate that the new program will allow greater distance between people who must use traditional waiting rooms, including those who walked or took public transportation to their appointment and those who do not have a cell phone.

Additional safety protocols indicate that all patients should arrive to the hospital or clinic with their own cloth face covering. Face coverings must be worn over the mouth and nose for the entire duration of patients' visits. Patients should also come alone, unless they absolutely need assistance from a loved one.

For questions about how to resume or initiate elective care, call your primary care provider or the specialist directly. For a list of providers, visit svhealthcare.org/physician-directory.

Patients with cough or shortness of breath or any two of the following—fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell—should contact their primary care provider or the COVID-19 Informational Hotline at 802-440-8844 before arriving to either their provider’s office or the hospital. For a detailed list of safety protocols, frequently asked questions, visitor guidelines, and COVID-19 information, visit svhealthcare.org.

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