To the Editor:

Give the gift of health to yourself and your family in the New Year. If you're a smoker, quitting is the single most important step you can take to protect your health and the health of your loved ones. Smoking causes immediate damage to your body and increases your risk for many kinds of cancers, as well as heart attack, lung disease, and early death.

Kathleen Wilbur, director of the Southeast Tobacco Free Community Partnership reminds smokers that the holidays can be a tough time to quit, but the New Year is an excellent opportunity to make a quit plan and prepare friends and family to support you.

“If you want to quit and you’ve already tried in the past, don’t give up. It takes most smokers several tries before they are able to quit for good,” said Wilbur. “Quitting can be hard, but with planning and support you can free yourself from this addiction.”

Fortunately, all health insurance plans in Massachusetts cover quit-smoking medicines. The Massachusetts Smokers’ Helpline, 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), is available to you for free coaching to help you make a plan and to support you through quitting. Using this coaching support and quit-smoking medicines together can make you three times as likely to quit for good!

Five Ways to Get Ready to Quit Smoking

Quitting smoking can be hard, but there are ways to make it easier.

1.    Set a quit date. Choose a quit day in January giving yourself about two weeks to prepare.

2.    Tell your family and friends you plan to quit. Share your quit date with the important people in your life and ask for support. A daily e-mail, text message, or phone call can help you stay on course and provide moral support. Plan a smoke-free lunch date or game night to distract yourself. Or gather your family in the kitchen to cook a special meal together.

3.    Anticipate and plan for challenges. The urge to smoke is short—usually only 3 to 5 minutes. Surprised? Those moments can feel intense. Before your quit date, write down healthy ways to cope. Even one puff can feed a craving and make it stronger. Healthy choices include:

- Drinking water

- Taking a walk or climbing the stairs

-  Listening to a favorite song or playing a game

- Calling or texting a friend

4.    Remove cigarettes and other tobacco from your home, car, and workplace. Throw away your cigarettes, matches, lighters, and ashtrays. Clean and freshen your car, home, and workplace. Old cigarette odors can cause cravings.

5.    Talk to your doctor about medicines to help you quit. Nicotine patches, nicotine gum, or prescription medicines can help you quit for good. Your quit coach and pharmacist can also give you guidance.

For more information about local in-person support, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. For resources on quitting visit  www.makesmokinghistory.org.

Kathleen Wilbur

Program Manager

Southeast Tobacco-Free Community Partnership