The best way to improve your health is to stop smoking. Just 20 minutes after a cigarette your body starts to repair the damage caused by smoking. Other benefits of stopping smoking include [1]:

• Healthier lungs
• Stronger immune system
• Lower cancer risk
• Healthier heart
• Clearer skin
• Better vision and hearing

[1] Smokefree.gov. Benefits of Quitting. (n.d.). Benefits of Quitting. Retrieved October 31, 2018 from https://smokefree.gov/quit-smo...   

It can take 7-10 (and sometimes more) attempts to stop smoking before a person stops for good. Each time you try, you get better, so think of it as practice. The best way to stop smoking is to use a combination of counseling and medication.  

Here’s a few ideas to get you started: 

• Counseling
  • Counseling can help you manage cravings, find new things to do instead of smoke, and support you in stopping smoking.
  • Here’s a few resources that might help:
    • Call 1-800-QUITNOW for telephone counseling and support
    • Visit Smoke Free Women and sign up for text support
    • Download the 2morrowquit app for free for Washington State residents
    • Call
      Providence Pharmacotherapy Clinic Holy Family (509)482-3057 or their Sacred Heart location (509) 474-2232 to sign up for in-person counseling and support, medication, and self-help materials. Pharmacists offer one-on-one counseling including personalized quit plans, goal setting, medication prescribing, and special support for pregnant women.
    • Sign up for Inland Northwest Health Services' Quit for Good cessation class. It’s a free class and offers free gum, patches, and lozenges to people who are uninsured or who have insurance that does not cover these products. Register here or call 509.232.8138
    • Download more resources
  • Consider trying nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) Any time you begin a
    new medication, make sure to check with your healthcare provider about what is best for you, especially if you are pregnant. Some medications are unsafe for pregnant women.
    • What is NRT?
      • NRT is medications that can help you overcome nicotine withdrawal, so you can taper off smoking cigarettes. They work by giving you a small, controlled amount of nicotine without all the dangerous chemicals that are in cigarettes.
      • NRT comes in a variety of forms that are used in different ways. For some people, some NRT products work better than others—there are pros and cons to each type. Consult with your healthcare provider to decide which NRT is best for you.
      • Curious about NRT myths? Click here.
      • Some medications are not safe for pregnant women, but may be recommended to you by a healthcare provider if you are thinking about becoming pregnant and want to stop smoking. Other medications are also available to help you stop smoking like Varenicline (Chantix) and Buproprion (Zyban). There are benefits and side effects to both of these medications, and its best to consult with a healthcare provider to learn which is best for you.

Remember, sometimes it takes 7-10 attempts before you stop smoking for good. Keep trying.

• Here’s some tips to get you started:
  • Make a quit plan. This includes a quit day, letting people in your life know you’re quitting, and identifying triggers that make you want to smoke. Here is a list of things you can include in your quit plan.
  • Prepare for cravings. This means making a plan for how you’ll replace smoking with something else. Cravings will only last 5-10 minutes, and it helps to have things you can do instead of smoke.
  • Join a community of people who are quitting and tell people closest to you that you are quitting. 
  • Sign up to get support. You can join smokefree text to get support through text messages or download 2morrowquit, a free app for Washington state residents.
• Smoking because you feel stressed? Consider some of these healthy stress management tips [1]:
  • Exercise – its free, and even a short walk can help.
  • Take deep breaths – take a few slow deep breaths when you feel stress.
  • Visualize – think of a place you feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed. Picture it for a few moments until you feel calmer.
  • Talk to a friend or family member who can support you.
  • Focus – try to focus on one thing at time.
  • Take care of yourself – make sure you get enough sleep, water, and healthy food.

  [1] Smokefree.gov. Coping with Stress Without Smoking. (n.d.). Benefits of Quitting. Retrieved October 31, 2018 from https://smokefree.gov/challeng...