You know all the reasons to quit smoking, yet you still do it. That is the power of that Nicotine Demon that lives in your head. I tell my patients that their little demon is akin to a toddle having a major temper tantrum in the middle of the cereal aisle at your favorite upscale grocer.

Becoming a smoke free individual is not easy, but there are lots of resources available to help you quit. In WA State we have Quit Line – a service where you can actually call and talk with a Quit counselor 7 days a week. Your state health department may have a similiar program.

Other online resources to check out include:

Tobacco Free Nurses – the first national program focused on helping nurses and student nurses to stop smoking
www.tobaccofreenurses.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Tobacco Information and Prevention Source
www.cdc.gov/tobacco/

Surgeon General – ‘You Can Quit Smoking’ Consumer Guide
www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/default.htm

American Lung Association – Tobacco Control
www.lungusa.org/tobacco/

American Cancer Society – Guide to Quitting Smoking
www.cancer.org

Quitnet.com – Savings Calculator
www.quitnet.com

Smokefree.gov – Dictionary
www.smokefree.gov/dictionary.html

Quitnet.com – ‘Quitticisms’ (Quitting terms & phrases)
www.quitnet.com/library/quitticisms.jtml

Smoking is an issue that seems to penetrate all aspects of an individuals life. It’s not just an individual health issue anymore…it’s a quality of life issue, a societal issue, a financial issue, and a public health issue. It affects you, your children, your grandchildren, your partners, your friends.

It’s time to stop…for good.