Tag: smoke free

Ready to go smoke-free? Join the Great American Smokeout

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Are you ready to take your first step towards a smoke-free life? On November 19, 2020, millions of people across the country have the opportunity to start their journey towards a healthier lifestyle. The Great American Smokeout, an annual event hosted by the American Cancer Society, implores the estimated 32.4 million American adults who smoke cigarettes to use the tools they have available to help them make a plan to quit smoking for good.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever for you and your family to do everything possible to stay healthy. Even if you or a member of your family have been a smoker for decades, there are almost immediate health benefits the moment you quit. According to the American Cancer Society, “People who have quit smoking have fewer illnesses such as colds and the flu, lower rates of bronchitis and pneumonia… [and] just 20 minutes after quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. In just 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. In as little as 2 weeks to 3 months, your circulation improves and your lung function increases.”

Step One: Make a Plan

While the negative health effects of smoking are no secret, taking the first step towards smoking cessation can be intimidating. Luckily, there are plenty of resources and tools available on The Great American Smokeout event webpage to help you get started and make a plan to quit. Consider talking to your primary care provider to find out how they can assist. They may suggest over the counter treatment options or prescription medications. They may also be able to provide counseling to assist you along the way.

Additional Resources for MSU Employees:

If you do not have a primary care provider, MSU Health Care has pediatricians, family medicine and internal medicine providers taking new patients. The MSU Health Care Pharmacy location offers quit aids such as nicotine gum, patches and can fill prescription Chantix® (varenicline). Plus, they deliver! Additionally, there are a variety of smoking cessation resources available on the Tobacco & Smoke Free MSU website.

Visit the American Cancer Society website to learn more about the Great American Smokeout and other resources to help you quit smoking.

Sources:

American Cancer Society (n.d.). It’s Not Too Late to Quit Smoking. Retrieved November 02, 2020, from https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/never-too-late-to-quit-smoking.html

Get Support to Stop Tobacco, Nicotine and Vaping Use

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Would you like to stop using tobacco, nicotine or vaping products, but could use some support? There’s help for you right on campus! MSU’s Health4U Team operates a program called Breathe Easy, a free program focused solely on assisting individuals to quit using tobacco, nicotine and vaping products.

Breathe Easy combines several approaches, such as behavioral and nutritional support sessions and medical evaluations. Participants may elect to use conventional anti-smoking treatments or can attempt smoking cessation without medication. In order to be eligible, participants must be an MSU faculty, academic/support staff, graduate student employee, retiree, or their spouse or adult benefits-eligible family member. One participant had this to say about their experience with the program, “I am very pleased with my experience and success with the program. For the first time in maybe eight quit attempts, I am successful and remain smoke-free for over a year. The program’s educational support component combined with the medication proved to be the best formula for my success. The professional staff [is] very supportive, caring, and committed to providing the best care and knowledge to overcome smoking addiction.”

“For the first time in maybe eight quit attempts, I am successful and remain smoke-free for over a year.”

MSU Breathe Easy Program Participant

The next Breathe Easy session will begin Wed., Oct. 23 and run for six weeks. Employees are not required to use their own time accruals to participate in the Breathe Easy Program, as long as you are compliant with program participation requirements and your supervisor has approved release time for the program.

You can register for the upcoming session at 517-353-2596 or by emailing health4u@msu.edu. Find more information on this program at MSU’s Health4U website or visit Linton Hall, Room 113.