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Tobacco use continues to top the chart as the single most preventable cause of death and disease in our society. As health care professionals specializing in pulmonary medicine — an area of medicine the deals with diseases of the lungs and respiratory system — we see firsthand the tremendous toll that tobacco takes in lives and dollars. Nationally, tobacco use causes more than 430,000 deaths and costs the nation approximately $50-$73 billion in medical expenses each year. In Oregon, nearly 7,000 deaths (about 22 percent of all deaths) are linked to tobacco each year. And in Douglas County, more than 300 deaths (about 28 percent of all deaths) are linked to tobacco. Tobacco use costs Douglas County taxpayers $50 million in medical expenses each year.
For the past two years Oregon decision-makers have passed laws to help reduce the costs and consequences of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. On Jan. 1, 2009, Oregon expanded the list of workplaces required to be smoke-free to help protect employees and the public from exposure to secondhand smoke. More recently, the Oregon Legislature passed a law (Senate Bill 734) requiring private health plans and insurers to cover at least $500 in tobacco use cessation as a core benefit. Oregon is one of seven states in the nation to make sure all Oregonians, regardless of insurance status, have access to tobacco cessation help.
According to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 80 percent of Oregonians who smoke want to quit smoking. Breaking the addiction to nicotine, however, can be, at best, unpleasant, and at worst, a nightmare. Nicotine is an addictive drug, considered to be as addictive as heroin. It often takes a person several quit attempts before successfully quitting for good.
The good news is that the benefits of quitting tobacco begin almost immediately. Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, blood pressure drops and the temperature of your hands and feet begins to increase. Within eight hours of quitting, the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal. And within 24 hours, the risk of heart attack decreases. The bottom line: quitting tobacco can improve your health and save your life.
For those who have resolved to be an ex-smoker in 2010, here are some tips from the American Cancer Society to help make this New Year's resolution a success.
• Decide on a quit date. About two weeks prior to your planned quit date, set a firm quit date.
• Prepare for your quit day. There's no right or wrong way to quit tobacco. While some people are able to quit cold turkey, others cut down on cigarettes gradually before quitting. Learn more about what will work best for you, new medications, counseling, support groups, and other resources to help you quit successfully.
• Conquer your urges to smoke. If you smoke in the car, with coffee, or after dinner, change up your routine. Resolve not to smoke in your car, remove ashtrays, stock up on substitutes such as carrots, cinnamon-flavored toothpicks, or fruit juice and water. Avoid places, situations and events where smoking is permitted.
• Stay active. Whether you replace a cigarette with 10 push-ups or a trip to the mailbox, use physical activity to improve your health and fight the urge to smoke.
• Tell your family and friends. Successful quitting takes planning and commitment. It also takes the support of family and friends. Don't be afraid to ask others for help; if they smoke, they may decide to quit with you. Find out about support groups or classes in your area.
There's never been a better time to kick the habit. Help is available. Talk with your health care provider or contact the Oregon Tobacco Quit Line to find out about the services offered by your insurance provider or the free services that are available for all Oregonians. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or in Spanish at 1-877-2NO-FUME (1-877-266-3863). The Quit Line also offers a free web coach program at www.quitnow.net/oregon. A list of local and national quit help resources is available on online at www.co.douglas.or.us/health/ph/quit.asp or www.updrugfree.org.
Drs. Alpana Chandra, Bassam Hashem, Razvan Gosman and Luana Nedita are Roseburg pulmonologists. They join Umpqua Partners for a Drug-free future, Douglas County Public Health, DCIPA - The Physicians of Douglas County and Mercy Medical Center in encouraging Douglas County residents to have a happy, healthy and tobacco-free New Year.
For the past two years Oregon decision-makers have passed laws to help reduce the costs and consequences of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. On Jan. 1, 2009, Oregon expanded the list of workplaces required to be smoke-free to help protect employees and the public from exposure to secondhand smoke. More recently, the Oregon Legislature passed a law (Senate Bill 734) requiring private health plans and insurers to cover at least $500 in tobacco use cessation as a core benefit. Oregon is one of seven states in the nation to make sure all Oregonians, regardless of insurance status, have access to tobacco cessation help.
According to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 80 percent of Oregonians who smoke want to quit smoking. Breaking the addiction to nicotine, however, can be, at best, unpleasant, and at worst, a nightmare. Nicotine is an addictive drug, considered to be as addictive as heroin. It often takes a person several quit attempts before successfully quitting for good.
The good news is that the benefits of quitting tobacco begin almost immediately. Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, blood pressure drops and the temperature of your hands and feet begins to increase. Within eight hours of quitting, the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal. And within 24 hours, the risk of heart attack decreases. The bottom line: quitting tobacco can improve your health and save your life.
For those who have resolved to be an ex-smoker in 2010, here are some tips from the American Cancer Society to help make this New Year's resolution a success.
• Decide on a quit date. About two weeks prior to your planned quit date, set a firm quit date.
• Prepare for your quit day. There's no right or wrong way to quit tobacco. While some people are able to quit cold turkey, others cut down on cigarettes gradually before quitting. Learn more about what will work best for you, new medications, counseling, support groups, and other resources to help you quit successfully.
• Conquer your urges to smoke. If you smoke in the car, with coffee, or after dinner, change up your routine. Resolve not to smoke in your car, remove ashtrays, stock up on substitutes such as carrots, cinnamon-flavored toothpicks, or fruit juice and water. Avoid places, situations and events where smoking is permitted.
• Stay active. Whether you replace a cigarette with 10 push-ups or a trip to the mailbox, use physical activity to improve your health and fight the urge to smoke.
• Tell your family and friends. Successful quitting takes planning and commitment. It also takes the support of family and friends. Don't be afraid to ask others for help; if they smoke, they may decide to quit with you. Find out about support groups or classes in your area.
There's never been a better time to kick the habit. Help is available. Talk with your health care provider or contact the Oregon Tobacco Quit Line to find out about the services offered by your insurance provider or the free services that are available for all Oregonians. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or in Spanish at 1-877-2NO-FUME (1-877-266-3863). The Quit Line also offers a free web coach program at www.quitnow.net/oregon. A list of local and national quit help resources is available on online at www.co.douglas.or.us/health/ph/quit.asp or www.updrugfree.org.
Drs. Alpana Chandra, Bassam Hashem, Razvan Gosman and Luana Nedita are Roseburg pulmonologists. They join Umpqua Partners for a Drug-free future, Douglas County Public Health, DCIPA - The Physicians of Douglas County and Mercy Medical Center in encouraging Douglas County residents to have a happy, healthy and tobacco-free New Year.
