There is No Better Time to Quit:
Millions have quit smoking and you can quit,
too. There is no better time to quit, even if you've thought about quitting
before, tried to quit or successfully quit in the past and started again.
Remember, if at first you don't succeed, quit, quit again! And hey, keep in mind
that 77% of UM students don't smoke cigarettes.
What about Hookahs? Hookah pipes (also known as
narghile, shisha, and goza) originated in the Middle East and have recently become popular on
many college campuses. Flavored tobacco, which often used in hookahs, is sweet and marketed toward
younger people.
The tobacco is heated in a water pipe and the smoke is moved through water in the base. It's
commonly assumed that hookah pipes are safer than cigarettes because the smoke is "filtered" through
water. In reality, the water only cools the smoke; it does not filter it.
The tobacco inhaled is similar to smoking an unfiltered cigarette. It has the same cancer-causing
substances and is as addictive.
Also, smoking hookah pipes may cause more lung damage than cigarettes because hookah smokers tend
to inhale much more smoke than cigarette smokers during a typical smoking session, exposing users to
higher levels of nicotine, carbon monoxide, and other carcinogens found in tobacco. In fact, an hour
spent smoking a hookah delivers as much carbon monoxide to the user as smoking a pack of cigarettes.
UHS Resources
Quit Kits (free information and tools to help you quit smoking) are available in the
Health Promotion and Community Relations Department of UHS, room 2110,
734-763-1320.
Discount coupons for the purchase of nicotine replacement products in the UHS
Pharmacy. See
Smoking Cessation Products for more on nicotine replacement.
Make an appointment with a clinician to discuss your health and quitting. See
Who Can Use UHS? for eligibility and
Appointment or Walk-in for how to
visit.
Kick The Habit UM Health System, Health Promotion Division, Tobacco Consultation Service
734-936-5988
Group program (8 sessions over 7 weeks) emphasizing
unlearning the tobacco habit and learning healthy
coping strategies. Individual and group counseling
is also available to the UM community. Free for
UM Health System employees, Premier Care members and people
with physician referrals; $100 for others.
Free on-line program with focus on withdrawal symptoms, weight control, stress
management, assertiveness and relaxation techniques
Group sessions for 10 or more people; fees may apply
Veterans Administration Center
734-769-5494
Group program (5 sessions over 7 weeks). Focus is on smoking reduction and/or
cessation using nicotine replacement techniques and Zyban. Free and open to all;
no charge to Veterans for medications.
Smoking Cessation Products
may help you to quit if you are addicted to nicotine.
If you are not physically addicted, these products probably will
not help you quit.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Products: These products provide nicotine to
ease withdrawal symptoms (such as nervousness, restlessness, irritability, headache,
dizziness and stomach upset) until you are weaned from smoking. They don't make you
quit and they don't help you cope with the psychological challenges of quitting.
The UHS Pharmacy offers
a discount on smoking cessation products.
Non-prescription NRT products are:
Patches (Nicoderm CQ, generics), applied once a day, provide a steady amount of
nicotine through your skin
Gum (Nicorette, generics) is chewed and held in your mouth throughout the day
Lozenges (Commit) are used throughout the day so nicotine is absorbed through
your mouth
Prescription NRT products are:
Nicotrol Inhaler, which has a plastic mouthpiece similar to a cigarette. Cartridges
containing nicotine are placed into the mouthpiece and puffed on for up to 20 minutes.
Nicotrol nasal spray is absorbed through your nose and is used several times a day.
Non-nicotine products, available by prescription, can also assist in smoking
cessation. Talk to a clinician if you are interested in these products:
Zyban (bupropion HIC) is believed to work on the brain chemistry involved in
nicotine addiction and withdrawal. Zyban comes in pill form and is usually taken
twice a day.
Chantix (verenicline tartrate) works on nicotine receptors in the brain. It is
believed to decrease the reward mechanism of smoking and reduce the urge to smoke.
It comes in pill form and is taken once or twice a day. It may cause serious neuropsychiatric
symptoms. Before starting Chantix, tell your clinician about any history of psychiatric illness.
While taking it, inform your clinician of behavior and mood changes.
Family and friends: Social support is probably the most valuable resource! Ask
for what you need - encouragement, congratulations, company. If you know someone
else who wants to quit, try a buddy system.
The American Cancer Society (ACS)
sponsors the Great American Smokeout, an event
that challenges smokers to quit, one day at a time and connects people with
local resources. 734-971-4300
Internet: Try using search terms such as "nicotine" or "smoking" for tobacco
facts, tips for quitting and on-line support groups. Our standout favorite is
thetruth.com.
