askthedoctor Quit Smoking N
TRICARE Can Help TRICARE offers regional quitline numbers: North Region, (866) 459-8766; South Region, (877) 414- 9949; and West Region, (866) 244-6870.
About 70 percent of adults who smoke say they want to stop. Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O., off ers information and resources to help you or someone you love kick the habit.
Nearly 50 million adult Americans have stopped smoking. More than half of adults who have ever smoked have quit. When smokers quit, the health benefi ts begin to accrue almost immediately — coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath decrease, as do the long-term risks of lung and other cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary dis- ease, and coronary heart disease. It’s never too late to quit smoking. A
smoker who quits at age 60 might add three years to his or her lifespan. One study has shown that, on average, quitting at age 50 adds six years of life; quitting at age 40 adds nine years of life; and quitting at age 30 adds 10 years of life. Quitting smoking is diffi cult; it might
take more than one attempt. If you stop and then start again, don’t give up; try again. Nicotine dependence is one reason it is
so diffi cult to stop smoking. Dependence means users suff er withdrawal when they reduce or stop consuming nicotine. Nico- tine withdrawal symptoms include con- centration problems, irritability, anxiety, diffi culty sleeping, and increased appetite. The use of tobacco products — whether
smoked (e.g., cigarettes, cigars) or smoke- less (e.g., chewing tobacco) — causes nico- tine dependence. In the U.S., more people are dependent on nicotine than on alcohol or other drugs.
Some people successfully can quit cold turkey, while others quit after a course of a nicotine-replacement product (e.g., gum or patches). Studies have shown
the most eff ective way to stop smoking includes several treatment modalities. Many resources are available to help
you quit smoking. Discuss your desire to quit with your health care provider. Counseling — individual, group, or even by phone — also might be helpful. Specifi c behavioral therapies have been developed to help people stop, as well as both OTC and prescription medications. OTC products contain nicotine. When
a user stops smoking, taking nicotine in another form helps ease withdrawal symp- toms. Nicotine-replacement products come in various forms — gum, an inhaler, nasal spray, a lozenge, or a patch. Typically, these products are taken for several months and then decreased over time to wean the user from nicotine dependence. Two prescription medications are in- dicated to help smokers stop: bupropion slow release (Zyban) and varenicline tar- trate (Chantix). Ask your health care pro- vider if either is appropriate for you. Most states have a “quitline”; (800)
QUIT NOW (784-8669) can connect you to a trained professional to discuss how to stop smoking and to help you develop a plan. Or join the American Cancer Soci- ety’s Great American Smokeout Nov. 17.
MO
— Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, USPHS-Ret., D.O., M.A., is vice president, Health Sciences, Battelle Memorial Institute, Arlington, Va. Find more health and wellness resources at www
.moaa.org/wellness. For submission information, see page 18.
*online: For additional information, visit
www.smokefree.gov or DoD’s
www.ucanquit2.org. 48 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2011
PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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