STATISTICS

According to the Center for Disease Controls and Prevention there are over 443,000 deaths annually due to smoking. Additionally there are about 8.6 million people who have a serious illness due to smoking.

In New York State alone there are about 25,000 deaths a year due to smoking.  Smoking costs the state approximately $8 billion annually.

RISKS OF SMOKING

The risks of smoking are many. There are at least 250 known toxic or carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals in cigarettes. Smoking increases the likelihood of respiratory disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, emphysema, chronic cough and wheezing.  It also increases the risk of serious illness such as heart disease and lung cancer.

There is also a huge financial cost to smoking.  Statewide the average cost per pack is over $6. That means that if you are a pack-a-day smoker then that will cost you over $2000 a year for cigarettes. That does not even take into account the increased medical costs that a smoker encounters in their lifetime.

Benefits of Quitting Smoking

While there are many risks associated with smoking, the good news is that there are many benefits to quitting smoking. For a smoker who quits:

• Risk of lung and other cancers reduces and continues to decline with each year of cessation.
• Risk for heart disease and stroke reduces significantly 1 to 2 years after quitting.
• Quitting reduces respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shorness of breath.
• Quitting during reproductive years reduces risk of infertility.
• Quitting during pregnancy reduces the risk of a low birth-weight baby.

QUITTING SMOKING

Hopefully you understand the need to quit smoking. Now the trick is to actually stop. It is estimated that about 70% of smokers want to quit and millions have attempted. The good news is over 47 million people have successfully quit.

As anyone who has attempted to quit can tell you it can be very difficult.  Nicotine is a very addictive substance and for many, smoking has become a habit ingrained over several years.

Success at quitting comes from a combination approach to address the chemical addiction (seen most obviously in the cravings) and the habit.

ACUPUNCTURE AND QUITTING SMOKING

Our quit smoking program uises a combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine to help increase your chances of success. The acupuncture is given in 4 treatments over a course of 3 weeks. Sessions are about a half hour each. The needles are placed in the ear and srist meaning that the patient can stay seated or lay down during treatment. The points used help interrupt the signals to the brain that initiate a craving, reduce anxiety, and support the overall health of the body.

The herbal medicines used come in two forms, a tablet and a tea. The tablets are taken daily to help support the body during the detoxification stage of quitting.  At this stage the body starts to experience many imbalances as it adjusts to not having the nicotine and other chemicals present.  These imbalances are what cause the cravings.  The tea is used specifically for times when cravings are particularly strong.

The acupuncture and herbal medicine primarily deal with reducing cravings associated with withdrawal.  These cravings provide a significant hurdle in the quitting process. The other major part is dealing with the habit.  While acupuncture and herbal medicine do not address the habit, our program does provide some basic counseling to give you the tools you need to change your habits.  We also encourage anyone who wants to quit smoking to make use of quitting hotlines such as 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO GET READY TO QUIT?

• Set up a support system
  Tell your family and friends (especially other smokers) that you are planning on quitting and when you are starting.  Perhaps a friend or spouse can do errands for you that would take you to a place that sells cigarettes.  Let your friends who smoke know that you may not see them as much in the next few weeks, but that it is only temporary.  Or better yet, ask them to not smoke around you.
• Identify your triggers
  Are there certain activities, places or even people that make you want to smoke?  Make plans now for how you can avoid them and find alternatives.  Instead of a cigarette on your lunch break you can plan on having a cup of tea or go for a walk.
• Make a list
  List at least 3 reasons why you smoke.  You may find that there are no good reasons on this list.  List at least 3 reasons why you wish to quit.  Items on this list will be your "mantras" during the program.  When cravings are strong and you want to have a cigarette, go over this list in your head.

These are all important steps for breaking the habit of smoking.  Combined with acupuncture and herbal medicine to reduce the cravings, you will be well on your way to changing from a "smoker" to a "former smoker".

We hope you found this informative. For more information about acupuncture and our services at East Side Acupuncture please call 569-6579 or visit www.eastside-acupuncture.com