TARGETING TOBACCO

After you've evaluated your Readiness to Quit, follow these tips from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to set up your plan:

There Has Never Been A Better Time to Quit

A combination works best.

Set a quit date. Get support. Take medicine.

Get Ready Get Help + Get Medicine Stay Quit!

Get Ready

Set a quit date.

No smoking after: _____________________

Change the things around you.

• Get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays [or other tobacco products] in your home, car, and place of work.
• Do not let people smoke [or use tobacco] in your home.

After you quit, don't smoke-not even a puff! Don't use any tobacco!

Get Medicine

You can buy nicotine gum, the nicotine patch, or the nicotine lozenge at a drug store.

You can ask your pharmacist for more information.

Ask your doctor about other medicines that can help you.

• Nicotine nasal spray
• Nicotine inhaler
• Bupropion SR (pill)
• Varenicline (pill)

Most health insurance will pay for these medicines.

Get Help

Tell your family, friends, and people you work with that you are going to quit. Ask for their support.

Talk to your doctor, nurse, or other health care worker. They can help you quit.

Call 1-800-QUIT NOW (784-8669) to be connected to the quitline in your State.

It's free. They will set up a quit plan with you.

Stay Quit

If you "slip" and smoke or chew tobacco, don't give up. Try again soon.
Set a new quit date to get back on track.

Avoid alcohol.

Avoid being around smoking [and other tobacco products].

Eat healthy food and get exercise.

Keep a positive attitude. You can do it!

You Can Quit

Most people try several times before they quit for good. Quitting is hard, but- You Can Quit.¹

There are many other great resources available for quitting tobacco, both local and on line. In all cases, the most successful programs contain a means for receiving support from others who are trying to quit and/or periodic contact with professional counselors. Check out these:

On-Line and Print:

• Department of Defense: http://www.ucanquit2.org/campaignmaterials/Default.aspx
  - a wealth of audio, visual, and print materials.
• National Cancer Institute: www.smokefree.gov - "Tools to Help You Quit."
• American Cancer Society, "Guide to Quitting Smoking,"
  http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "I Quit! What to do when you're sick of smoking, chewing, or dipping," on-line or booklet form,
  http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/iquit/index.htm.

Telephone Hotlines

• National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines, an initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), routes callers to a state-run quitline where they can receive help with quitting smoking, publications, and referrals to other resources. Information about this service can be found on the Smokefree.gov Web site. [Note: all 50 states and the District of Columbia now have quitlines.]

  Telephone: 1-800-784-8669 (1-800-QUITNOW)

• National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Smoking Quitline offers a wide range of services, including individualized counseling, printed information, referrals to other sources, and recorded messages Smoking cessation counselors are available to answer smoking-related questions in English or Spanish, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm., local time. Smoking cessation counselors are also available through LiveHelp (an online instant messaging service) at http://www.cancer.gov/help on the Internet. LiveHelp is available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern time.

  Telephone: 1-877-448-7848 (1-877-44U-QUIT)

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