Help available to quit smoking and improve odds against cancer

    How hard is it to give up cigarettes for good? Ask someone who is trying to quit, and you are likely to be told that kicking the habit it is one of the most difficult things a smoker will ever do.
    Tobacco products are so addictive because of nicotine, a powerful drug that is found in cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco. Nicotine packs a powerful punch: it is both physically and emotionally addictive, and some people can be hooked after being exposed to even a small amount of the drug.
    In addition to nicotine, tobacco contains hundreds of dangerous chemical compounds that can impact a smoker’s health. According to the American Lung Association, cigarettes include about 600 ingredients, including more than 50 chemicals that cause cancer.
    Tobacco use continues to decline across the country, state, and region, but it remains an important public health issue, especially in Aroostook County. According to a recent community health assessment, 27 percent of adults living in Aroostook County smoke, which is significantly higher than the state average of 22 percent. Aroostook County has high incidence rates of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer, diseases that can be caused or made worse by smoking.
    Fortunately, help is available for those who want to quit. The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC) offers assistance to patients and community members who want to beat tobacco addiction. TAMC provides smokers who are in the hospital for an overnight stay appropriate smoking cessation information and medication. In TAMC’s health centers, healthcare providers routinely ask about patients’ smoking status and provide guidance and resources to those who want to kick the habit forever.
    If you smoke, it’s never too late to quit. When you are ready to give it a try, consider these tips:
• Start with your primary care provider. Your family doctor can help you develop a customized plan that will get you started on the path to being tobacco-free. TAMC’s primary care practices in Presque Isle, Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill, and Ashland provide smoking cessation support, and all are currently accepting new patients.
• Call the Maine Tobacco HelpLine. The representatives on the HelpLine offer free, confidential support whenever you need it. Smokers who use the HelpLine are two to three times more likely to quit. The HelpLine can be reached at 1-800-207-1230.
• Set goals. Your ultimate goal is to give up tobacco for good, but you may find success by starting with smaller goals at first. Goals help you stay focused on what you are trying to achieve, and they allow you to clearly understand and measure your success.
• Reward success. Celebrate milestones by doing something you enjoy. Once you have stopped using tobacco for a week, prepare a special dinner. Six months of a smoke-free lifestyle could be rewarded with a weekend getaway.
• Ask your friends and family to support you. Your nonsmoking loved ones will want to support your efforts to give up tobacco. Don’t be afraid to ask for their encouragement along the way. Going at it alone can be tough, but with friends and family on your side, anything is possible.
• Don’t become discouraged. It takes most smokers several tries to quit for good. If you slip up, calmly recommit to your goal and start over again. It may take many attempts, but you will eventually be smoke free.