Giving smokers a day to start quitting

WORLAND – The Great American Smokeout, held each year on the third Thursday of November once again challenges smokers to resist lighting up for one day. Even if you’re not interested in quitting or want to quit, the Great American Smokeout will give you a starting date, a starting date where you will not be alone and may lead to a smoke-free lifestyle.

“If they (smokers) stop for a day oftentimes it’s the beginning of stopping permanently,” longtime cancer prevention/ awareness volunteer Cheri Bundren stated. Quitting around the holidays would be a great gift not only for them but for their loved ones, she added.

The American Cancer Society states, “By quitting, even for 1 day, smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their cancer risk.”

Quitting smoking even for one day has many benefits, but can be very difficult to do. Bundren suggests chewing gum, eating carrot sticks or snapping a rubber band when the urge to light up occurs.

Some of the benefits to quitting can be seen almost immediately. According to the American Cancer Society, some of those benefits include:

— Saving the money spent on tobacco.

— Food tastes better.

— Sense of smell returns to normal.

— Breath, hair, and clothes smell better.

— Teeth and fingernails stop yellowing.

— Ordinary activities leave you less out of breath (for example, climbing stairs or light housework).

Smokers who decide to take the plunge will need the love and support of their friends and family. The American Cancer Society has tips on what friends and family should do and should not do:

— Do respect that the quitter is in charge. This is their lifestyle change and their challenge, not yours.

— Do ask the person whether they want you to ask regularly how they’re doing. Ask how they’re feeling not just whether they’ve stayed quit.

— Do let the person know that it’s OK to talk to you whenever they need to hear encouraging words.

— Do help the quitter get what they need, such as hard candy to suck on, straws to chew on, and fresh veggies cut up and kept in the refrigerator.

— Do spend time doing things with the quitter to keep their mind off smoking. Go to the movies, take a walk to get past a craving (what many call a “nicotine fit”), or take a bike ride together.

— Do try to see it from the smoker’s point of view, a smoker’s habit may feel like an old friend that’s always been there when times were tough. It’s hard to give that up.

— Do make your home smoke free, meaning that no one can smoke in any part of the house.

— Do remove all lighters and ashtrays from your home. Remove anything that reminds them of smoking.

— Do wash clothes that smell like smoke. Clean carpets and drapes. Use air fresheners to help get rid of the tobacco smells, and don’t forget the car, too.

— Do help the quitter with a few chores, some child care, cooking, whatever will help lighten the stress of quitting.

— Do celebrate along the way. Quitting smoking is a big deal.

— Don’t doubt the smoker’s ability to quit. Your faith in them reminds them they can do it.

— Don’t judge, nag, preach, tease, or scold. This may make the smoker feel worse about him or herself. You don’t want your loved one to turn to a cigarette to soothe hurt feelings.

— Don’t take the quitter’s grumpiness personally during their nicotine withdrawal. Tell them that you understand the symptoms are real and remind them that they won’t last forever. The symptoms usually get better in about two weeks.

— Don’t offer advice. Just ask how you can help with the plan or program they are using.

According to the American Cancer Society, The idea for the Great American Smokeout first began in the early 1970s when Arthur P. Mullaney, a guidance counselor at a high school in Massachusetts challenged smokers to quit smoking for the day and donate the money that they would have spent to a high school scholarship fund.