Are You Ready to Quit?
Smoking may be one of the hardest things you ever stop doing, but it is also one of the most important health changes you can make for yourself and your family.
Statistics show that every year thousands of people die of illnesses related to their smoking, but did you know that secondhand smoke can be just as dangerous? The smoke from a cigarette contains toxic, cancer-causing agents. Children exposed to your secondhand smoke are more likely to develop respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, allergies, sinus infections, colds and pneumonia.
A few tips to help you quit:
- See your doctor for help in getting started. Discuss nicotine replacement therapy.
- Drink lots of water and juices. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Gather a support group of family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers who are nonsmokers.
- Ask other smokers not to smoke around you.
- Find a new hobby.
- Start an exercise program.
- Plan what to do when you’re in a situation where you would normally smoke.
- If you slip and have a cigarette, don’t consider yourself a failure. Use it as an opportunity to learn and not as a reason to start smoking again. Try to determine why you had that cigarette, and take steps to prevent future slips.
- Contact the Colorado Quitline for free telephone counseling/support services at 800-639-QUIT (7848) or link to www.co.quitnet.com .
- Click here for information about how to plan a tobacco-free pregnancy.