Proud to be smokefree

It was an experience that proved life changing because it forced her to make a serious effort to quit smoking.

Today she can proudly say she hasn’t touched a cigarette in six months.

"I truly believed I was going to die. I had unstable angina, was on morphine and couldn’t get my breath.

"I’m on loads of medication but it’s slowly being reduced and I’m making lifestyle changes.

"I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to live."

Mrs Nankervis’ health has improved dramatically since she quit smoking. Her skin is clearer and she can smell and taste normally.

She has joined a gym and has started swimming and walking regularly.

A culture-shift in the mental health environment in which she works has also helped her stay smokefree.

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World No Tobacco Day today

The younger children are when they first try smoking, the more likely they are to become regular tobacco users and the less likely they are to quit, a news release said.For Kansans wanting to quit, the toll-free Kansas Tobacco Quitline (866) KAN-STOP ((866) 526-7867) provides free and confidential coaching, and assists callers in preparing a personalized quit plan. The Kansas Tobacco Use and Prevention Program manages the Quitline and provides resources to organizations, such as the Tobacco Workgroup of Communities in Schools of Harvey County. For more information about World No Tobacco Day, visit www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2008.en/. For more information about the Tobacco Workgroup, call Communities in Schools at 284-6520 or the Harvey County Health and Wellness Coordinator at 283-1637, ext. 20.

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octor says Obama in excellent health

Obama has a history of cigarette smoking. His doctor says Obama has quit smoking several times and is currently using Nicorette gum to break the habit.

* A regular exerciser, Obama's resting heart rate was 60 beats per minute. His blood pressure was a low 90/60 and he has a lean, muscular build with no excess body fat.

* Laboratory studies showed a low cholesterol level of 173 and an EKG heart test was normal.

(Reporting by Deborah Charles in Chicago, Editing by Sandra Maler)


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Are you an overeater? You may be able to blame hunger-enhancing

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds women who quit smoking reduce their risk of death from heart disease within five years, and also lower their risk of death from smoking-related cancers. doctors say.

Although damage from smoking is not totally reversible, this study shows women who quit still had a better chance of living healthier lives, than those who kept on smoking.

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The walls come down

It may also deter smokers who are trying to quit, from buying a pack.The banning of smoking in public places and workplaces, negative advertising on cigarette packages, and numerous anti-smoking programs have all contributed in reducing the number of smokers in Ontario. This is just another step towards making Ontario smoke-free.While retailers may feel some pain from this decision we're sure those who opt to use the powerwall space for other “impulse" items will quickly make up the difference in any lost revenue.We hope this “out of sight, out of mind" approach leads to what we eventually would like to see— getting tobacco products out of people's hands altogether.

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Mauritius urges youth not to smoke

Speaking at a rally on Friday at the auditorium of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Moka, in central Mauritius where a national programme to quit smoking was launc h ed, the Minister said the aim was to sensitise young people on the dangers of sm o king and the importance to remain tobacco-free for a lifetime."We want our students and youth to adopt behaviours that protect their health and well-being, for tobacco kills more than AIDS, illegal drugs, road accidents, murder and suicide taken together," he emphasised.Faugoo added that the problem of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, commonly known as second-hand smoke, needs to be given due consideration, for non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke run similar risk as smokers of contracting tobacco-r e lated health problems.The Minister announced that his ministry is revising the existing tobacco regulations to make them compliant to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control."We aim at reducing both the supply and demand of tobacco products on the local market," he declared.Mauritius ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2004 and a National Plan of Action on tobacco control for the period 2007-2011 has already been put in place. Port-Louis - 31/05/2008Pana < Préc .

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Women’s heart risks decrease quickly after quitting smoking

There's good news for women who want to quit smoking. According to a new study published in JAMA, within just five years of giving up smoking entirely, womens' risk of death from heart disease or stroke starts to decrease significantly. In fact, after five smoke-free years, women reach 61% of their full potential to reduce risk of death from heart disease, and 42% of the full potential benefit in protecting against death from stroke.

For the study, researchers assessed the smoking habits of, and cause of death for, 12,483 women. They found that 64% of the deaths in actively smoking women were directly connected to cigarette smoking compared to only 28% of the deaths in former smokers.

The researchers also found that the risk of death from heart disease or stroke reduced much faster than that from lung disease or cancer.

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Disappointed at disregard for smoking ban

Although my husband smokes he is very much supportive of the smoking ban here in Illinois. I quit smoking nearly four years ago and since then find it offensive to be in an enclosed area when there is smoking, whether it's a restaurant or a bar.

We arrived at the night club in Fort Wayne only to learn from the door man that they do not "enforce" the smoking ban. Once the band's lead singer lit up his first cigarette the crowd started to light up, as well. My husband asked a few groups surrounding us to kindly put them out, but that didn't stop nearly the entire crowd from lighting up.

I asked one of the security guards if he noticed or cared to enforced the smoking ban. With a sarcastic grin, his response was, "I don't see anyone smoking." As the night proceeded it was clear that the ban was not a law but a joke in Fort Wayne.

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Woman kicks the habit for more than just health

Bailey starting smoking at age 12. "Back then it was cool." By 14, she was smoking a pack of Kools daily. The divorced mother of three quit during her pregnancies in the 1980s. After her first child was born, "I had an ashtray sent to my room," she says. "You could still smoke in the hospital then." She quit for a few years after the last kid, then pretty much smoked nonstop in the 20 years since. "Always menthol. The kind that crystalizes your lungs," she says. "When I've tried to quit in the past, I drove everybody else crazy. My kids would say. ‘Go buy yourself a pack.'" She'd obey. Still, she didn't want to end up like her mom, who smoked for 60 years and died of lung cancer two years ago. "Mom's death had a huge impact on me, watching her die. I held her hand while she died." She tried to quit after that.

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Give up smoking for the holidays? Ironically, this may be your best opportunity to quit for good!

There are plenty of smokers, just like you, who have a desire to quit this bad habit. When it comes time that you decide to give up smoking, there's always that element of timing. You're going on vacation next week. You're going back to school to train for a new career. You've invited guests for the weekend. You're too stressed out at your job. You know the drill. It seems that there's always some reason that makes this a bad time to try to give up smoking. While you might genuinely want to quit smoking, it's far easier to rationalize that 'this just isn't the time' and put the whole idea on the back burner. The usual result? You put it off for a 'better time'. Here we've got a novel idea that turns that rationalization on its head – and works!

When people make an attempt to quit smoking, one of the major obstacles involves keeping your hands busy and your mind distracted from cigarettes. You may do a little housework, then give yourself a break – hey, why not have a smoke and a cup of coffee? Smokers all have 'triggers' that put a cigarette at the front of their consciousness. Coffee, tasks which require focus and concentration, the famous after-meal smoke ... these are common triggers to light up. Becoming aware of all of your triggers is helpful in any attempt to give up smoking.

Now, during the holiday season, most of us don't have time on our hands. In fact, we find our plates full of tasks to ready our homes for the holiday season, including decorating, menu planning, shopping and gift wrapping. Many of us also get the urge to clean up accumulated clutter, straighten up linen closets, lest visitors should inadvertently see such un-festive touches and think you're a poor housekeeper. Notice what all of these holiday preparations have in common: your hands are busy and your mind is sufficiently occupied to keep those thoughts of a smoke at bay. When you consider a 'right time' to give up smoking, the holidays may, paradoxically, be the perfect time.

When you want to – successfully - give up smoking, it's really not quite as simple as the 'mind over matter' concept. You've got to use a few psychological tricks on yourself to help you along. If your morning cup of Joe is the usual partner for a smoke, try switching drinks. Have a cup of tea, juice or a smoothie instead. Changing rituals is an important component. How about that 'inevitable' after-meal cigarette? Why not plan an alternate activity that immediately follows the meal. The holidays are perfect for playing board games, checkers, chess or card games. Have the game table ready to go, serving a beverage that isn't one of your triggers.

Following a rigorous housecleaning session, relax in the bath with a magazine or book. Bubble bath or herbal bath sachets help you to relax and remind you that these scents are far more attractive than a burning cigarette. Besides, it's kind of hard to smoke with wet hands!

Group family activities, such as decorating the tree, hanging lights and gift wrapping for friends and relatives helps keep you occupied – and honest.

The busier you are, occupied with activities you enjoy, the less likely it is that your mind will drift to that smoke! When you decide to give up smoking, make the first several days packed with non-stop activities. If you can resist smoking for just three days, you're over the worst. You'll find that you sleep better, breathe easier and think less and less of smoking. After three weeks, you're 'clean'.

Choosing to give up smoking during the holidays may, ironically, be the magic bullet you've been looking for all these years! As for your New Year's resolutions, that list will be one item shorter. See if this upside-down strategy doesn't work for you!

Want to quit smoking for good? Motivation and a good support system is the answer

Smoking is a bad habit. It's an invitation to dire health problems down the road, unattractive and expensive. Cigarette companies have done their darndest to encourage sales and continuation of this nasty habit, despite being legally barred from advertising in the magazine and television ads of the past. Cigarette smoking is a generational problem.

Not until the early 1970s was cigarette smoking revealed to be the culprit behind lung cancer, emphysema and COPD. By this time, there were hundreds of millions of cigarette addicts, now looking for a way out of this life-sapping addiction. Children learn by example. Many of the cigarette smoker's children took up the habit as a result. They got hooked too. Even when their parents quit smoking for good, their kids did not. “Hey, my Mom smoked for thirty years and she's doing just fine. It can't be that bad!”

No matter what generation you belong to, if you're still smoking, it will catch up to you in some very unpleasant health consequences, in the future. If you want to quit smoking for good, and make an airtight case for your kids and grandkids to do the same, you need to be motivated, educated and have a good support system to make it happen.

Motivation is perhaps the easiest step in your journey to quit smoking for good. Try a Google image search of 'lung cancer effects', 'emphysema' and 'COPD breathing'. This five minute exercise ought to knock your socks off. If you're also desirous of spreading the news, print out a few of the choicest images and share them with family members you hope to inspire to also quit smoking for good. It's a good idea to create a file folder, on your PC and in hard copy format. It's enough to turn your stomach. Share the results with your currently smoking loved ones.

If this is not sufficient motivation, use Google to collect information on the scientific facts and consequences of smoking.

Now that you're motivated, check out some of the quit smoking forums and discussion groups. You'll find thousands of people, who have been smoking for decades. You'll hear horror stories of the 'based on a true story' type that will surely bolster your motivation to quit smoking for good. You'll also discover success stories in people who managed to quit smoking before it was too late. You'll learn tricks and tips from former smokers that may help you overcome the smoking habit. Smoking forums, message groups and other smoking information venues can provide plenty of support. You'll find people just like you, still smoking, but desiring to quit smoking for good. You know that you can use all the help you can get!

When you've found several forums, message boards and quit smoking informational articles, copy and paste the most relevant remarks in your PC folder. Print it all out. Tape your motivational quotes, scientific studies and pictures of smoking members of your family on the frig, or prominently displayed around your desk.

If you want to quit smoking for good, this ought to do it! If you absolutely need to substitute food for smokes, do it! If you gain a few pounds in the process of quitting cigarettes, that's a far easier task than quitting smoking.

Quit smoking for good and take a few loved ones with you!

Smell's back no ifs, no butts

Mrs McLaren-Salter, a Wairarapa Hospital orthopaedic nurse specialist, quit smoking just four weeks ago, and is emphatic she will never smoke again in her life.

"I've tried more than 10 times to give up, and briefly succeeded several times before getting sucked back in," she said.

"This time it's different. I read Alan Carr's book  The Easy Way to Stop Smoking  and it's completely changed the way I think about cigarettes.

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Just in case you didn't know smoking is bad for you!

Back in the day, cigarette companies advertised with impunity. Television, roadside billboards and magazines all promoted the smoking habit. It had not then been established that smoking led to all sorts of terrible medical conditions no one wants. It's likely that tobacco companies were in the know, but the general public was not. At worst, it was considered to be a habit of questionable merit and not very physically attractive. It wasn't always so. Remember the old movies with such legendaries as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, striking up and puffing away in a seductive and sought-after manner that the young people were eager to emulate? Well, times have changed.

For some decades, the smoking habit has been denigrated, with smokers being declasse individuals without the sense God gave a flea, Bogart and Bacall notwithstanding. Today, there's been a complete turnaround from the advertising campaigns of old. Tobacco companies, in response to class action suits, actually have the audacity to include quitting tips on their website navigation bars.

Magazine ads and billboards are now forbidden territory for the cigarette industry. On the other hand, no smoking signs have become big business indeed. If you want to let everyone know of your distaste for tobacco, you can buy no smoking signs in any material you might imagine – metal, plastic, wood – you name it, you can get it. There are signs suited to posting at factories, home and office applications. There are no smoking signs you can place on doors, walls, and desks. For those who want to make their sentiments perfectly clear, there's a desk plaque available proclaiming the smoking rules in sizes from subtle to you-can't-miss-it. How about stickers? Engraved no smoking signs are yours at the click of your mouse. Custom designs can proclaim the rules in a friendly spirit. “Please! No smoking!”, surrounded by cute little vining plants to lessen the blow to those smokers sensitive to no smoking signs.

Want to establish strict boundaries? Go for legalese phrasing - “No smoking within 50 feet!” - that certainly makes the message clear.

What if you're dealing with non-native English speaking smokers? Never fear. You can get your message across in numerous languages.

Some states, like Arizona and Louisiana, offer free no smoking signs for business owners. You just need to fill out some forms to qualify.

For the thrifty person who wants to make known their disdain for the habit, there's downloadable clip art you can print out on your home printer and plaster all over the place.

Just to cover all the bases, you've got to consider that misled soul holding a cigarette as he approaches your premises. This eventuality is covered. You can purchase smoking shelters, outdoor ashtrays and a variety of trash containers for the safe and prompt disposal of these nasties. Surely there's not a smoker alive who needs reminding. Just in case, there's certainly no shortage of signs that unequivocally, say, no!

World Health Organization calls for ban on tobacco ads

According to a WHO press release, studies show that young people are more likely to start smoking if exposed to tobacco advertising. The WHO notes that only five percent of the world population "is covered by comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship".

"The WHO appeals to member states and policy-makers to require by law a comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco products," said WHO Regional Director for Africa Luis Sambo, in a statement released Saturday in Kampala, Uganda.

"In order to survive, the tobacco industry needs to replace those who quit or die with new young consumers," said WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan. "A ban on all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship is a powerful tool we can use to protect the world�s youth."

The WHO said that tobacco companies are specifically targeting the half billion youth in the Asia Pacific region by tying smoking to the idea of a flashy lifestyle.

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Smoking the World

It is hailed as one of the best-selling consumer products and enjoys a rapidly expanding market. Its companies boast impressive profits and prestige, but with one problem; its best customers keep dying off. Yes smoking is one of the most profitable activity and one of the most hazardous too. Smoking info has shown that over 420,000 Americans die each year of the habit. When compared to the use of illegal drugs, that is an astounding 50 times more deaths! Another amazing smoking info is that 3 million people, and obviously more, die from smoking annually. When you do the math, that is about 6 people dying every minute from smoking alone. According to the survey conducted in 45 countries, it shown that the worst is yet to come saying, “If current smoking patterns persist, then by the time the young smokers of today reach middle or old age, there will be about 10 million deaths a year from tobacco—one death every three seconds.”

However, statistics do not end there. More smoking info suggests that smoking will eventually kill half of all of smokers – a truly terrifying thought. Since the 50’s, more than 60 million people have already died from the habit. For tobacco companies this is bad for business. If 3 million die each year and many more, an unknown number, quit the habit of smoking, this means that they will need to be replaced. So what have these companies been doing to ensure that they remain in business? One of the strategies is targeted towards the liberation of women, especially in Asian lands. While smoking is an accomplished fact in the Western world, it has taken time in developing lands of Africa, Asia and Latin America. However, the tobacco companies’ efforts seem to be paying off. Smoking info and statistics have shown that more women are now smoking in these lands and the stigma once associated with smoking is dying, if it has not already done so, in many places.

Take China statistics for example. It is estimated that more than 61 percent of all adult men smoke and women are quickly adding to that figure. In fact, by comparison, there are more smokers in China than the entire population of the United States, more than 300 million. Another smoking info is that more than 1.6 trillion cigarettes are smoked each year in China alone, about a third of what is consumed in the entire world. This figure will continue to rise in the future.

Doctor who helped establish Berkeley Free Clinic dies at 90

He got health department employees to run up and down the stairs for exercise and always pressed people to quit smoking, urging them to give up their "coffin nails," his daughter said.

"He was always interested in helping people to achieve and maintain good health," Cathy Leonard said. "And he absolutely practiced what he preached."

His other daughter, Barbara Leonard of Levallois-Perret, France, agreed that her father practiced the health ideals he spread to others. She said her father jogged in the Berkeley hills at 6:30 a.m. through his 90th year.

"Five days a week," Cathy Leonard added. "He took off weekends. He started off going for 3, 4 or 5 miles and later it was a couple of miles."

Dr. Leonard's accomplishments ranged from documenting.


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Learn How to Quit Smoking Today

Young people do all sorts of stupid things in their lives, and I was no exception. The worst thing I ever did to myself was accept a cigarette that was offered to me by a friend. Before I knew it, that one-time experiment led to a pack-a-day habit that burdened me for 15 years. Then one day, I smartened up and realized that compromising my health wasn't worth the few minutes of pleasure that a cigarette gave me. I wanted to learn how to quit smoking once and for all in order to rid myself of the disgusting habit.

There are lots of different cessation methods out there, but I was able to eliminate a few right from the start. For instance, many people have reported success with hypnosis. Apparently, just having a therapist talk about how to quit smoking while they're in a highly suggestible state is enough to get some folks to stop cold turkey. But hypnotherapy is not something I could get into, so I'm not even going to bother. If it's up your alley, though, then by all means go for it!

Another method that has been successful for smokers is gradually reducing their nicotine intake with the help of patches and gum. These aids have been around for a long time now, and are ideal for those who are scared at the prospect of going through nicotine withdrawals. Read any book on how to quit smoking and you'll see numerous warnings about the likely withdrawal symptoms you'll experience. But with patches and gums, you can still get your daily dose of nicotine without having to smoke. This gives you a chance to wean yourself from the rituals of lighting up and handling a cigarette without having to deal with withdrawal right away.

If you ask your doctor about how to quit smoking, he or she might recommend a prescription drug. There are a few on the market, including Zyban or Wellbutrin. This is essentially an antidepressant that has been effective at reducing nicotine cravings in people interested in figuring out how to quit smoking. This is actually the method that I chose, and despite being extremely skeptical of the pill's efficacy, it truly worked for me!

But I know many smokers don't want to use any drugs at all, and would prefer an all-natural method instead. This is understandable, as patches, gums, and prescription pills are quite a bit more expensive than natural techniques. If you want to try going the all-natural route, then stock up on St. John's wort or make an appointment with a hypnotherapist.

Discovering the different options available to you is the first step in the quitting process. From here, you have to figure out how to quit smoking in a way that fits your personality and lifestyle so that you have the best chance at long-term success.

A Nurse Warned Me Not to Take Chantix

Stacey started taking Chantix in May 2007 to quit smoking and it almost worked; she decreased her smoking but she hadn't bargained for the side effects that started on the second day. "I was feeling really unhappy but never contributed it to Chantix," she says. "I thought it was because my son moved out--he went off to college. Then I started arguing a lot with my husband and he said my behavior was 'different'. I started sleeping until 11 in the morning—I normally get up at 6am and walk the dogs. Instead I got up at 5.30 and just let them out—they would run around the yard—and I would go back to bed. Even my mum tried to get me up but I stayed in bed. I was arguing with everyone; I argued with my son about stupid stuff. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong—everyone just needed to leave me alone.

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Smoking Cessation & Risk of Death; Childhood Traumas & Adult

On the other hand, quitting smoking can, over time, reduce the excess risk of illness and death associated with smoking. This risk reduction begins immediately after smoking cessation, but it appears to take approximately 20 years before all of these smoking-related health risks disappear entirely. The lesson is simple, really. You are much better off, health-wise, if you never start smoking. However if you are already a smoker, quitting (and quitting right now) will allow you to begin that long but worthwhile journey back to the level of health risk that you would otherwise have enjoyed had you never started smoking in the first place.

CHILDHOOD TRAUMAS & ADULT SUICIDE RISK

The experiences that we have during the pivotal developmental years of our childhood can have an enormous impact on our adult lives.

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Quit 4 Live program promoted

In an effort to help students either quit or not start smoking Timiskaming District Secondary School has introduced a "Quit 4 Life" program at its school. In supporting students in their attempts to quit, Kelly Graydon-Milette, a Child and Youth Worker at TDSS along with help from Co-op students run weekly support meetings based on Quit 4 Life, a youth cessation program. All students who are interested in quitting, or who are just looking for quitting information are welcome to participate in the program. "We average about 10 students, but I'm hoping by running this program yearly there will be more awareness and higher participation in the program" Kelly Graydon-Milette said. Some of the reasons for quitting or not starting to smoke the group touches on include health, cost of tobacco, barriers and what causes someone to smoke in the first place.

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