St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Maybe you’ve been thinking about quitting for a while but unsure if you can stick to it. Or perhaps you’d like to encourage a loved one or friend to kick their smoke habit for good. No matter what your reason is – it’s important to get the facts and the support in place before you take the leap.
Dr. Royce Calhoun, Thoracic Surgeon at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, says people only quit if they’re motivated to quit. If you are a smoker, you need to feel the value of eliminating cigarettes from your daily life to make it a reality.
“Cigarettes have a big impact on your health,” says Dr. Calhoun. “Every time you take a drag of a cigarette, the cells in your trachea and smaller airways are paralyzed for at least an hour. Your airway never has a chance to clear stuff out of your throat and start the recovery process, because you’re paralyzing those cells over and over every time you have a cigarette.”
Top Five Reasons to Quit
Dr. Calhoun says most smokers know that they should quit – but can’t bring themselves to do it unless they connect with a concrete reason. Dr. Calhoun’s top five reasons to quit smoking today include:
1. Health – Lung cancer, COPD, emphysema, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, vascular disease and bladder cancer are just some of the negatives – and serious – implications that tobacco smoke has on your health.
2. Cost – In 2018, the average price of one pack of cigarettes is more than six dollars – that’s over $2,000 per year. Double that if you smoke two packs a day. Think of all the other things you could do with that money.
3. Emotions – Many people quit for family members and loved ones – especially grandchildren. Wanting to set a positive example and wanting to live to see children and grandchildren grow up can be an emotional motivator for smokers to quit for good.
4. Cosmetic – Everyday smoking can age you much more quickly, making you look years or even decades older.
5. Impact of secondhand smoke – Secondhand smoke has a negative effect on your loved ones. According to the CDC children and adults greatly increase their risk of respiratory illnesses, asthma, cancer, infections, stroke or SIDS for babies.
Take the first step towards quitting
If you are a smoker interested in quitting, St. Elizabeth Healthcare is here to help. In addition to our comprehensive lung cancer screening program and quick health risk assessment quiz, we offer supportive services to our smokers, helping you quit once and for all.
St. Elizabeth is proud to offer Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati residents the opportunity to enroll in the Freshstart Smoking Cessation program. This free four-week class is developed by the American Cancer Society and offers support and education to tobacco users. Topics covered include the impact of smoking on your health, a variety of quitting methods, replacements for tobacco usage, tips for conquering withdrawal symptoms and support to get through each day.
Freshstart Smoking Cessation program: here to help
Make the commitment to quit smoking today. Sign up for the Freshstart Smoking Cessation program by calling (859) 391-5570 or visiting St. Elizabeth Healthcare for upcoming class dates. St. Elizabeth offers both daytime and evening classes at a variety of locations to fit your busy schedule.
