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| Maximum Fine - $1000 |
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| The secret to successfully staying off the weed is to never say ‘never again.’
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| When it comes to smoking and the struggle to quit, the greatest obstacle to permanent success, oddly, is the focus on permanent success. So says Dr. Frank Leone, director of the Tobacco Intervention Program and the Center for Tobacco Research and Treatment at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
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“Tobacco treatment is much more like caring for asthma than it is like getting your appendix out. Exposure to nicotine causes long-term changes in the function of your brain, which in turn substantially increases the likelihood that a smoker will relapse, even many years post-cessation. We should work to control tobacco use long term rather than magically curing it after a few visits,” says Dr. Leone.
Smokers — there are 1.1 billion worldwide, a number expected to increase to 1.6 billion over the next 20 years — are unfairly burdened by expectations, according to Dr. Leone.
“The focus on success is a huge disincentive to try to quit; it puts inordinate shame and pressure on those who relapse and unfairly biases our opinions against existing treatments.”
Almost one-quarter of all adult Americans smoke. There are a growing number of reasons for them to quit—smoking has been implicated in everything from cancer to heart disease and low-birth-weight babies – and recent research suggests that nicotine may increase alcohol and illicit drug consumption.
If you’re thinking about quitting, it helps to prepare psychologically. Your greatest bogeyman may be your own sense of foreboding about stopping.
“It’s a little like getting ready to jump into a pool before you’re sure you can swim. Logically, you may really want to do it but emotionally – instinctively – you may be reluctant,” says Dr. Leone.
He suggests that smokers interested in quitting should obtain help to identify these instinctive behavioral motivators, which may ultimately help their sense of logic to overcome their instinctual side.
“Practically, this amounts to talking to someone who can help identify triggers and cues to smoking and help people modify their routines constructively and sustainably. It’s very important to demystify quitting.”
Where to Start When You Want to Stop:
“Cold turkey is the worst possible way to quit. Success of impulse quitting is very low — with help it’s much higher. Smokers shouldn’t expect to quit, they should expect to quit safely and comfortably. Suffering through it without understanding what you’re going through doesn’t make you tougher; just more likely to relapse. Contrary to popular myth, using pharmacologic nicotine does nothing to prolong the cessation attempt,” says Dr. Leone, who offers the following suggestions for smokers wanting to quit:
- Talk to your doctor; ask about available medications.
- Find local resources such as community education groups or support groups.
- Discuss what you’re thinking with trusted family or friends.
- Pick a day to try quitting.
- Use the meds as directed, offer feedback to your doctor about effectiveness and modify the approach as needed.
- Never stop expecting help from professionals.
“People willing to accept multiple modes of help are in the best place to quit. Think of it this way,” says Dr. Leone. “Who’s most likely to have their asthma successfully controlled? Those who take their medicine, are motivated to learn about asthma care on their own, are aware of their symptoms, and who communicate with their doctors about anticipated outcomes? It’s the same thing for smoking.”
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