Quitting Tobacco in 2014

New Year’s Day represents the fresh start that we anticipate each year, and Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is encouraging people who use tobacco to set a quit date by January 1, 2014. Setting a quit date is a great first step towards regaining your freedom from tobacco. According to the American Cancer Society, people who plan their quit day in advance DOUBLE the odds of staying tobacco-free for life.

Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure to cause 443,000 deaths each year in the United States – that’s 1 out of every 5 people. It is NEVER too late to quit – your body begins to heal after only 20 minutes of smoking your last cigarette. Quitting is hard, but with the right tools, resources and support, you can do it!

The JCPH Tobacco Prevention Initiative offers a 2014 New Year’s Resolution infographic to help tobacco users navigate the journey of quitting. This educational handout provides reasons to quit, steps to design a quit plan, a tracking tool and tips on staying tobacco-free. JCPH also offers an online nine day quit guide to help you stay on track.

There are numerous additional resources to help you quit smoking or quit using other tobacco products. Consider some of the following free resources to help you in your journey to quit: 

• For telephone support, coaching and resources to help you or a loved one become tobacco-free; call the Colorado Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). The QuitLine also has a web-based support, www.coquitline.org. This free service provides information and tools to tailor your own personal plan for quitting. 
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment launched www.TobaccoFreeCO.org, an online web hub that connects visitors to a variety of resources and topics including cessation services and information on preventing secondhand smoke exposure and youth tobacco use. 
• COQuitMobile is a free text-based program that places you on the path to a life free from tobacco. 
• You may also visit the Ready to Quit Page on the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Website for a list of additional resources and videos that will encourage and help you to quit. 
• Tips from Former Smokers is a powerful CDC national campaign that encourages people to quit smoking by highlighting the toll that smoking-related illnesses take on smokers and their loved ones.
• View this American Lung Association Fact Sheet about what resources are covered under the new guidelines of the Affordable Care Act.