The Time To Quit Smoking Is Now
| 2 min read
Smokers, and family and friends of those who smoke, know how important it is to try and quit, even if it’s the fourth, eighth or twentieth time.
You’ve probably heard many of the statistics before, like these from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: smoking is responsible for 20% of all deaths in the United States, 85% of lung cancer deaths, 90% of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD); it increases a smoker’s risk of over eight different non-lung cancers by 300%.
These are good reasons to quit, but for many smokers even these are not enough. Simpler things often strike closer to home. Many smokers quit just to have whiter teeth, better breath, healthier-looking skin, more physical stamina and more money in their pockets. The point is, although nicotine is very addictive and quitting may be difficult, it is possible and there are plenty of reasons to try.
Since this issue is so important, Blue Care Network of Michigan is putting on a content series titled, “Tobacco Free Is the Way to Be.” What does this entail?
If you or a loved one is struggling with finding ways to quit smoking, check out the multiple resources we have to guide and support you on your journey, including:
- Our new microsite, which has information on strategies for quitting, over-the-counter and prescription medications, ways to talk to your kids about smoking, motivational stories and more.
- This includes a health timeline, which gives you specific ways your health can improve based on the amount of days you plan to/have quit smoking
- The Blue Care Network Facebook page, which will be sharing some great tips for quitting during the campaign and beyond, so don’t forget to “like” the page
Overall, we want to make sure you’re getting real advice to quit, and strategies and medications that can help you start quitting today. It’ll be comforting for you and your family to know that you can confidently say “yes” if anyone ever asks if you’ve been given this information.
Follow along these next few weeks and motivate yourself to finally make the change for your health and life — and your loved ones, too.
A few other things you can do to help your journey to quitting include:
- Talking to your doctor
- Reading our Quit Guide
- Watching our video featuring a doctor’s advice on smoking
- Calling the Michigan Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-784-8669
Photo credit: Army Medicine
