ASHLine Tops List Of Best Ways To Quit Smoking In 2015, 2016 And Beyond

PHOENIX, Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At this time of year, "Top Trends" and "Best Of" lists flood the news. Of the many trends that come and go over time, there is one trend that will never go away: People want to live healthier lifestyles in the New Year!  With varying degrees of success, people vow to eat more fruits and veggies, partake in fewer between-meal snacks, join fitness centers and spend more time with family and friends.  With each New Year tens of thousands of Arizonans make a vow to quit smoking. In fact, quitting smoking always ranks among the top five New Year's resolutions, but too often it is the first to be broken!

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., making it costly both to our health and our pocketbooks.  The list of "former smokers" continues to grow as we continue to see a downward trend in tobacco use among Arizonans in every corner of the state. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), tobacco use in Arizona continues to decline, as fewer people smoke, and those that do are smoking less. 

For those who still use tobacco, quitting can be one of the hardest things they may ever have to do. Seven out of 10 people who use tobacco want to quit, but fewer than five percent will achieve lasting success, and it can often take 10 or more attempts to actually be successful and quit for good. So, for many, quitting may seem to be unattainable.  

For those that use tobacco and want to quit, or have tried to quit but have not been successful, a few tactics have been found to be helpful:

1. Make a list of the reasons for quitting such as living longer and enjoying our children for more years, enjoying the taste of our favorite foods, and committing to saving the money you spend on cigarettes for that long-awaited vacation
2. Make your quit attempt known to family and friends and enlist their support
3. Create a plan to deal with cravings and triggers
4. Promise yourself that if you have a relapse you will simply keep trying and never give up

For many Arizonans, true success in quitting tobacco forever has only been achieved by getting help from the professional coaches at the Arizona Smokers Helpline (ASHLine).  With success rates that are several times greater than attempts to quit "cold turkey," the ASHLine provides free coaching that is tailored to the interests and life circumstances of each individual.  Since many of the ASHLine coaches are former smokers themselves, they know how hard it can be to quit, and provide the kind of support and navigation that has proven to help people succeed in making life-changing decisions.  

For those making a New Year's Resolution to quit tobacco, they can improve their chances by calling the ASHLine (1-800-55-66-222). It works because it operates under their terms, offers free coaching and the ASHLine offers two weeks of free nicotine replacement aids such as gum, patches and lozenges.  

Those interested in quitting can call the ASHLine at 1-800-55-66-222 and speak to a coach in Spanish or English at a time that works for them.  Or, if people prefer to follow a personalized quit plan online, they can do so at www.ASHLine.org, which provides a wealth of information along with a Call It Quits mobile application available for easy download. ASHLine encourages people to make 2015 the year they quit for good!

About Arizona Smokers' Helpline
Funded by a portion of tobacco taxes dedicated to tobacco education and prevention through the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Tobacco and Chronic Disease, the ASHLine has been helping people quit tobacco since 1995. Free telephone and Web-based quit services are provided as well as free training and technical assistance to all Arizona healthcare providers.  For more information, call 1-800-55-66-222 or visit www.ASHLine.org.

About Wayne Tormala
Wayne Tormala, Chief, Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Tobacco & Chronic Disease, oversees tobacco prevention/cessation, the prevention and management of chronic diseases (i.e. heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke, asthma and diabetes), HIV Prevention, and Healthy Aging.

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SOURCE ASHLine

Related Links

http://www.ashline.org