Tobacco Cessation Services at Student Health Center
Ready to quit using tobacco? Call 882-7481 to make an appointment to discuss your individual needs.
Facts About Tobacco Use
Tobacco use is the top preventable cause of illness and premature death in the U.S. Each year over 400,000 people in the US die from tobacco related illnesses. These include:
- Cancers of the lungs, mouth, throat, bladder, cervix, kidney, and stomach.
- Heart disease, stroke, and abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- Emphysema. Pneumonia.
- A certain type of leukemia.
Tobacco users are prone to cataracts and oral problems, too. These include gum disease, tooth loss, stained teeth, and bad breath.
In nonsmokers, secondhand smoke causes:
- About 3,000 deaths each year from lung cancer.
- About 35,000 deaths each year from heart disease. The effects of secondhand smoke are about 80% as bad as for smokers. It only takes minutes of exposure to cause unhealthy effects for the heart.
- Increased risk for asthma and respiratory ailments, especially in children.
Costs of Smoking
The table below shows the amount you can save if you or a family member quits smoking now. It is based on an average cost of $4.75 per pack of cigarettes. The totals don’t include the interest you would earn if you put this money in the bank.
The Cost of $moking |
|||
Number of Packs a Day |
|||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
Day |
$4.75 |
$9.50 |
$14.25 |
With smoking, another $700 or more per year can be spent on the following:
Lighters and other smoking items, cigarette burn repairs on clothing, carpeting, and furniture, extra dry cleaning, mouthwashes, colognes, and special toothpastes, missed work day,; extra medical and dental care, and higher life, health, and homeowner’s insurance rates.
Test Your Lungs
So you have trouble blowing out candles on your birthday cake? Do you get winded dashing upstairs? If you’re a smoker, diminished lung power may be why. Take this test to determine your lung capacity.
1. Strike a match. When the flame steadies, hold it about 6 inches from your mouth.
2. Inhale deeply. Try to blow out the match by exhaling quickly through your mouth, without pursing your lips. Try more than once, if you must.
3. If you can’t blow out the match, your lung capacity may be impaired. See your health care provider.
Nicotine Dependency Test Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence *
Take this test and find out your level of dependence on nicotine.
1. How soon after you wake up do you smoke your first cigarette?
¨ After 60 minutes (0)
¨ 31-60 minutes (1)
¨ 6-30 minutes (2)
¨ Within 5 minutes (3)
2. Do you find it difficult to refrain from smoking in places where it is forbidden?
¨ No (0)
¨ Yes (1)
3. Which cigarette would you hate most to give up?
¨ The first in the morning (1)
¨ Any other (0)
4. How many cigarettes per day do you smoke?
¨ 10 or less (0)
¨ 11-20 (1)
¨ 21-30 (2)
¨ 31 or more (3)
5. Do you smoke more frequently during the first hours after awakening than during the
rest of the day?
¨ No (0)
¨ Yes (1)
6. Do you smoke even if you are so ill that you are in bed most of the day?
¨ No (0)
¨ Yes (1)
* Heatherton TF, Kozlowski LT, Frecker RC, Fagerstrom KO. The Fagerstrom Test for Nictoine Dependence: A revision of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. British, Journal of Addictions 1991;86:1119-27
Your score was: . Your level of dependence on nicotine is: .
0-2 Very low dependence 6-7 High dependence
3-4 Low dependence 8-10 Very high dependence
5 Medium dependence
[Scores under 5: “Your level of nicotine dependence is still low. You should act now
before your level of dependence increases. “
[Score of 5: “Your level of nicotine dependence is moderate. If you don’t quit soon,
your level of dependence on nicotine will increase until you may be seriously addicted.
Act now to end your dependence on nicotine.”
[Score over 7: “Your level of dependence is high. You aren’t in control of your smoking
– it is in control of you! When you make the decision to quit, you may want to talk with
your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy or other medications to help you break
your addiction.”
Medications
Some tobacco users who are heavily addicted to nicotine find nicotine replacement therapy can help them quit. The patch (e.g., Nicoderm®) and gum (e.g., Nicorette®) are over-the-counter products. A nicotine nasal spray (e.g., Nicotrol NS®) and a nicotine inhaler (e.g., Nicotrol®) are prescribed medicines.
Other medicines that do not contain nicotine can be prescribed. These include Buproprion HCL, also known as Zyban or Wellbutrin or Varenicline, also known as Chantix.
To increase your chances of success if you use medication, it is very important that you also use behavior change techniques. They are listed in the “Warm Pheasant” Plan which follows. Research has shown that the highest rates of success come from medication coupled with individual tobacco cessation counseling.
“Warm Pheasant” Plan
You’ve heard of quitting tobacco “cold turkey” – all at once. Well, that works for some people, but not for others. If you’re like Mark Twain (who said, “Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it over a hundred times”), you might want to try the “Warm Pheasant” Plan. This three-phase plan allows you to prepare for quitting.
Phase I: Preparing to Quit This phase takes about 1 week.
- Mark a “quit” date on your calendar 1 week in advance.
- Track each time you smoke, chew, or dip by making a mark on a piece of paper tucked in the cigarette wrapper or tobacco pouch or can.
- Every time you want to smoke, chew, or dip, wait 10 minutes.
- Create a “butt bottle” or a “chew bottle.” Put your cigarette butts or spit into a clear jar.
Phase II: Quitting This phase takes about 1 to 2 weeks.
- Throw away everything related to your tobacco habit. Hide all smoking items, (e.g., matches, lighters, ashtrays, etc.).
- Whenever you have an urge to smoke, chew, or dip, take a deep breath through your mouth and slowly exhale through pursed lips. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
- Keep your hands busy by holding something (a pen, a Nerf ball, a paper clip).
- In place of tobacco, use other things that will give oral gratification.
- Sugarless gum or mints.
- Toothpicks or coffee stirrers.
- A glass of water.
- Change your routine.
- If you smoke, chew, or dip when driving to work, take a different route.
- Take a walk instead of your usual coffee – and cigarette – break.
- Sit in a chair you don’t usually use when you relax or watch TV at home.
- Cut down on coffee, alcohol, and foods high in sugar like candy and pastries. These items increase your desire for tobacco.
- Do things you don’t associate with tobacco.
- Create a “ciggy bank.” Put the money you used to spend on cigarettes, cigars, etc. in a jar.
- Place a rubber band on your wrist. Snap it every time you get an urge to smoke, chew, or dip.
- (try yoga class)
- (SRC)
Phase III: Staying Off Tobacco Allow 3 months for this final phase.
- Always remember that the craving for tobacco will pass, whether you use it or not.
- Renew your commitment to stay off tobacco each day.
- Beware of triggers – usually other tobacco users – who may try to encourage you to light up.
- Talk to a Tobacco Cessation Counselor at the Student Health Center for support.
- Make a list of good things you’ve noticed since you quit. These might include:
- Food tastes better.
- I cough less.
- My clothes don’t smell like smoke.
- I don’t have bad breath.
- Continue to practice the behavior change techniques listed in the quitting phase.
Handling a Slip-UP
No one is perfect. If you slip-up, you may feel guilt or conflict. You may feel a sense of being helpless or hopeless. These are normal feelings that may cause you to go back to your old coping plan – using tobacco.
Don’t focus on the slip-up. You have not failed in your efforts. A “lapse” is not a “relapse.” Focus on your new goal – to choose not to use tobacco again.
Recovery Signals
Quitting tobacco may cause changes in your body. Some of these changes you will enjoy – food tastes and smells better. Some changes may be a little unpleasant. Everyone is different. Most people will have only a few of these signals and the usually last less than 1 week.
- Increased Hunger. Your taste buds become more keen, so food tastes better. Also, you may substitute food for tobacco.
- Irritability/Anxiety. Studies offer 2 reasons for this:
- Nicotine use serves as a mild calming agent for some. The body is very tense until it adjusts.
- Your life has been disrupted. Try a relaxation exercise, warm shower, or yoga.
- Coughing. The hairlike fibers that line the bronchial tubes are starting to work to get rid of the mucus caused by smoking. As the mucus loosens, you cough.
- Sweating. Toxins leave the body through the skin’s pores. This may show up as sweat.
- Frequent Urination. This may happen because of the extra liquids you are drinking.
- Constipation. Nicotine causes the release of the hormone adrenaline. Often, this helps move the bowels. Eat high fiber foods, raw fruits, vegetables, bran, and whole grains.
- Loss of sleep. Quitting tobacco may make you restless at night. Increase daytime activity to make you tired. Drink a warm glass of milk before bed.
- Dizziness. More oxygen is entering the body because your bronchial tubes are clearing up and you are not taking in smoke with carbon monoxide. The result could be dizziness. Sit down until it passes.
- Sleepiness. For many people, nicotine provides a “lift.” Take it away and you feel sleepy. The stress of quitting can also tire you out. Try to get more sleep.
- Mouth Sores/Bad Taste. Sores or bad tastes in the mouth may be due to body chemicals that used to counteract the effects of the toxins in tobacco.
- Use an oral pain reliever for sores or see a doctor or dentist.
- Use mouthwash or breath mints for the bad taste.
- Lack of Focus. Quitting tobacco may make it harder for you to concentrate. A short walk is helpful.
- Dreaming of Tobacco. Many quitters dream about using tobacco. Try to laugh at this mind trick.
- Sense of Loss. Quitting can make you feel sad. You may feel you’re missing something. This will pass with time. Try to stay busy.
- Headaches. You blood vessels open up due to withdrawal from nicotine. Try deep breathing.
People tend to react to quitting in many ways, so signals not listed may occur. Also, signals listed may be due to other things. If you have questions, talk to your doctor, health care provider, or Tobacco Cessation Counselor at the Student Health Center.
For information, Contact:
American Lung Association
800.LUNG.USA (586.4872)
www.lungusa.org/tobacco
National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines
800.QUIT.NOW (784.8669)
University of Missouri Student Health Center
573.882.7481
www.studenthealth.missouri.edu