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Quitting Smoking

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. If you're a long-time smoker, you may think it's too late. But it's never too late to benefit from quitting. If you quit smoking, you are likely to add years to your life. You may also breathe more easily, have more energy, and save more money.

Other benefits include:

Reduced cancer, heart attack and lung disease risk.

Better blood circulation.

No smoke odor in your clothes and hair.

A better sense of taste.

A more sensitive sense of smell.

No more second-hand smoke for your family members.

Additional Resources

Publications

Smoking & How to Quit — 1. Womenshealth.gov created this page to help empower women and teens, and the people they love, to breathe clean! Gain independence from the stale world of smoking by using our information and resources. Learn about the specific effects of smoking on your health and how to quit for good.

http://www.womenshealth.gov/quit-smoking/index.cfm

Cigarette Smoking-Related Mortality — This publication discusses the rate of premature deaths caused by cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke in the United States. It includes statistics on the rates of death from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/cig_smoking_mortality/...

HealthierUS.gov — With a focus on physical fitness, nutrition, preventative screenings, and avoiding risky behaviors, HealthierUS.gov is a source of credible, accurate information to help Americans live healthier lives.

http://www.healthierus.gov

How to Quit: Government Resources — This page contains tips on how to quit smoking and other related materials.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/index.htm

Smoking Among Seniors in the United States — This supplement to the 2004 Surgeon General's report on the health consequences of smoking explains how smoking can greatly contribute to health risk among older adults, including hip fractures and cataracts.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2004/highlights/seniors/index.htm

Smoking and Bone Health — This fact sheet discusses what is known about the association between tobacco use and decreased bone density.

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Conditions_Behaviors/bone_smoking.asp...

Smoking and Tobacco Use — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health provides this extensive resource on smoking and other types of tobacco use. It includes educational materials, reports, news, and information on how to quit. It has special sections for kids, teens, adults, community service workers, and more.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/

Smoking and Your Digestive System — This fact sheet explains the harmful effects that cigarette smoking can have on the digestive system. Some effects can include peptic ulcers, liver disease and gallstones. It also explains how these negative results can be reversed.

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/smoking/index.htm

Freedom From Smoking® Online (Copyright © ALA) — Quitting smoking can evoke many feelings: fear, resentment, relief. But if you stay committed to the program and complete all of the assignments, you have a good chance of remaining smoke-free for good. The online program provides seven modules that focus on determining readiness, confidence building, understanding your habit, physical and psychological recovery, long-term strategies, fitness, and beyond.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/kb/home/login.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=38973

Making the Grade on Women's Health: Women and Smoking, A National and State-By-State Report Card (Copyright © National Women's Law Center) — Women and Smoking: A National and State-by-State Report Card is the first comprehensive assessment of women’s smoking-related health conditions and policies that are proven to help reduce smoking among women and girls. Women and Smoking provides and evaluates data, by state and for the nation as a whole, on selected health status and health policy indicators related to smoking, major smoking related diseases, and access to cessation services among women and girls.

http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/Women&SmokingReportCard2003.pdf

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and Other Medications Which Aid Smoking Cessation (Copyright © ALA) — This online fact sheet gives information on products that can be used as a nicotine replacement for individuals who are quitting smoking. It discusses non-prescription methods such as the nicotine patch, gum, and lozenges, as well as prescription methods, like nasal sprays, inhalers, and non-nicotine medications.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33566

Questions About Smoking, Tobacco, and Health (Copyright © ACS) — This publication answers common questions about health and tobacco use. It provides information on the various health effects of smoking, addiction, and the harmful chemicals cigarettes contain.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2x_Questions_About_Smoking_Tobacco_and_Health.asp...

Quitting Smoking (Copyright © ALA) — This fact sheet provides encouraging information for people who are trying to quit smoking, and also provides detailed information about methods to quit smoking, such as the nicotine patch.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33567

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/tobacco/296.html

Stop-smoking Products to Help You Quit (Copyright © MFMER) — This fact sheet provides detailed information on nicotine replacement aids that can help you quit smoking. It discusses the nicotine patch, inhaler, nasal spray, nicotine gum and lozenges. It also gives information on bupropion, a prescription drug that can help with smoking cessation.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stop-smoking-products/HA00065

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated March 5, 2009.