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Smoking Cessation – Important Tips for Quitting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 04, 2002
Contact:
Janelle Davis
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237 Ext. 5222
jdavis@aafp.org
Scientific evidence demonstrates that tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and illness in our country. Rather than become a statistic, individuals should act now to kick this life-threatening habit.
Smoking is the most common form of tobacco use. Quitting can be difficult, but it’s never too late to make a lifestyle change. Individuals will have the best chance of stopping smoking if they do the following:
- make the decision to quit smoking — choose a date two to four weeks away to quit;
- get ready to quit — once a person has decided to quit, make a plan with the help of a family physician. A family physician can identify ways to make quitting easier, including nicotine replacement methods, prescription medicine, and identifying other activities to replace smoking;
- make a list of the reasons why it is important to quit — keep this list handy and refer to it often;
- keep track of where, when and why a person smokes — this will help identify smoking triggers;
- throw away all tobacco — throw away ash trays, lighters, and anything else associated with the smoking habit;
- put the plan into action — stop smoking! Do things other than smoke. For example, individuals can take a walk when they feel the urge to smoke, or chew sunflower seeds, or sugarless gum.
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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 110,600 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.
Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 240 million office visits each year — nearly 87 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.
To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org.
The AAFP sponsors a program titled Tar Wars. The mission of Tar Wars is to educate children about being tobacco-free, thereby providing them with the tools to make positive decision regarding their health and to promote personal responsibility for their well-being. Please visit www.tarwars.org for more information about the Tar Wars program.
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