Quitting Tobacco
Why Should I Quit Smoking?
Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your health and the health of people who live with you.
Most people know that smoking can increase their chances of getting cancer and other lung and heart diseases. These are very good reasons to quit, but there are many more benefits to quitting. Some of those benefits begin within 20 minutes of quitting.
Quitting smoking has its benefits An estimated 75% of U.S. smokers want to quit. Quitting isn’t easy, but there are powerful benefits.
- Lengthen your life by 11 minutes for every cigarette you do not smoke.
- Feel better and have more money for something special for yourself or your family.
- Reduce the risk of your children developing asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia, and having more colds than children with non-smoking parents.
- Reduce the chances of your children becoming smokers. If you smoke, your children are more likely to start smoking.
- Look younger. Smoking can cause wrinkles, dull your skin and stain your teeth and fingers.
- Reduce the risk of having health problems while you are pregnant. Your baby will be healthier.
| Your body starts to recover in just 20 minutes after you quit smoking. |
| Within 20 minutes | - Blood pressure and pulse rate decrease.
- Body temperature of hands and feet increases.
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| Within 24 to 48 hours | - Chance of a heart attack decreases.
- Ability to smell and taste improves.
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| Within 2 weeks to 3 months | - Circulation improves.
- Walking is easier.
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| Within 1 to 9 months | - Coughing decreases in most people.
- Sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decreases.
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| Within 1 year | - Added risk of heart disease drops by half.
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| Within 5 to 15 years | - Risk of stroke drops to that of people who have never smoked.
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| Within 10 years | - The risk of cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.
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| Within 15 years | - Risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked.
- Risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked.
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CareOregon can help you quit! We pay for medications and telephone counseling that can make quitting easier. The “Resources to Help You Quit” include information on your smoking cessation benefits.
Resources and Covered Benefits to Help You Quit CareOregon covers the medications listed below to help you stop smoking. Telephone or group quit support services are also covered and are required for coverage of some medications. Successful tobacco quitters report that using a medication along with a support service is a great help. Your chances of quitting for good will increase when you combined medication use with help from a quit support service.
Your first step is to talk to your PCP about which medication would be best for you. All medications require a prescription from your PCP and have yearly benefit limits.
Patch
- 14-day supply per prescription fill
- Max 98-day supply per year
Gum
- 14-day supply per prescription fill
- Max 98-day supply per year
Nicotine Oral Inhaler and Nicotine Nasal Spray
- Your PCP must get a prior authorization (PA) from CareOregon
- PCP must confirm that you are not able to use a nicotine patch or Bupropion
- Enrollment in a stop smoking counseling program is strongly encouraged. Enrollment in group or telephone counseling, like the Quit For Life® Program is covered by CareOregon.
- 14-day supply per prescription fill
- Max 98-day supply per year
Bupropion SR 150 mg (Generic Zyban)
- Limit of 60 tabs per month
- Max benefit of 90 days per year
Chantix
- Must be age 18 or older
- Enrollment in a stop smoking counseling program is encouraged. Enrollment in group or telephone counseling, like the Quit For Life® Program is covered by CareOregon and offers CareOregon members free phone-based behavior change coaching and medication support with web-based learning, tracking, and social support.
- Limit of 60 tabs each month
- Max benefit of 90 days per year
- Four one-on-one counseling calls with a Quit Coach®
- Unlimited call to a Quit Coach® when you feel you need extra support
- Support with selecting the best NRT option for you
- Help with deciding if you are ready to quit
- Call toll-free any day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 1-866-784-8454;
TTY/TDD 1-877-777-6534.
The Oregon Tobacco Quit Line offers free counseling by telephone to all Oregon residents
- English: Call toll free 1-877-270-7867.
- Spanish/Español: Call toll free 1-877-266-3863.
Are You Ready to Quit?
Have you tried to quit? Many people try several times to quit before they finally quit for good. Each time you try to quit, you gain a better understanding of what works best for you.
Click the one statement that best describes your smoking situation now.
I smoke and I don’t want to quit now.
- You may not be ready to quit smoking now, but talking about it might help you understand your reasons for smoking..
- Think about how smoking affects your life and your family’s health.
- Think about any illness you have that may be related to your smoking.
- When you smoke, it is important to smoke outdoors, so that your second-hand smoke doesn’t harm anyone in your home.
I smoke, but I am seriously thinking about quitting in the next six months.
- Weigh the pros and cons of smoking
- The cons: What are the downsides of smoking? How does it affect your health and your family’s health and well-being?
- The pros: What do you like about smoking?
- The cons of smoking can help motivate you to quit. The pros of smoking mean you will have to look for other ways to meet the wants and needs provided by smoking.
- Weigh the pros and cons of quitting.
- The cons: What would you lose if you quit smoking?
- The pros: What would you gain if you quit? Better health for you and your family? Extra money? What are the risks of continuing to smoke?
- If your cons outweigh the pros you know why you want to quit, but you can’t bring yourself to quit right now. Keep thinking about it.
- If your pros of quitting outweigh the cons you worry about your smoking and want to do something about it. It’s time for a plan.
I smoke, but I have decided to quit smoking in the next 30 days.
- Look at your attempts to quit and learn from them.
- Understanding your smoking habits will help you plan how to quit. Write down when, where and why you smoke each cigarette.
- Know what “triggers” you to smoke. Meals, coffee, alcohol, stress or just a strong urge to smoke might be some of your triggers.
- Plan and learn how to cope with these triggers.
- Plan how to reward and coach yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back when you do well.
- Tell friends and ask for help.
- Set a quit date within the next week or two, and tell your family and friends.
- Expect strong urges and withdrawal. Plan for slips and know what you will do to avoid them.
- Consider using a stop-smoking medication. Your CareOregon benefits pay for it. Ask your Primary Care Provider (PCP) which medication would be best for you.
I am an ex-smoker and I am interested in tips for staying smoke-free.
- Congratulations! You have taken a big step towards improving your health.
- Know what to expect: temporary withdrawal symptoms, cravings and signs of recovery.
- Use your plan to cope with triggers and ask your family and friends for support.
- Take your medication for the full treatment period.
- Use positive self-talk. Congratulate yourself when you do things well. Reward yourself.
- Remember:
- Being totally tobacco free is your goal; don’t have even a single puff.
- Drinking alcohol can increase the urge to smoke.
- Being exposed to smokers gets in the way of quitting.
- Too much stress can trigger you to smoke
- Exercise, eat right and take one day at a time. Welcome to a smoke-free life!
CareOregon can help you quit! We pay for medications and telephone counseling that can make quitting easier. The “Resources to Help You Quit” include information on your smoking cessation benefits.
Resources & Support Groups
FREE Nicotine Anonymous Support Groups
Call 503-323-2110 for a recorded message about support groups, or visit a group:
- Adventist Medical Center
Cafeteria Conference Room
10123 SE Market St., Portland
Every Monday evening (including holidays) 7-8 p.m. - United Methodist Church Hillsboro (donation appreciated)
8th & Lincoln, Hillsboro
Wednesdays, 7 p.m.
Contact: Mary Stewart, 503-648-3433 - Alano Club
909 NW 24th Ave., Portland
Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m. - Life after Tobacco Support Group Tuality Health Education Center
334 SE 8th Ave. Hillsboro, OR
First and third Mondays each month.
6:30 pm to 8 p.m. No registration required.
Call 503-681-1700.
Online Resources for Adults, Pregnant Woman, Teens and Spanish Speakers
En Español
