19th Annual Kick Butts Day: Say No to Tobacco

By Chris Kotsen, PsyD, CTTS, tobacco treatment specialist and psychologist with Somerset Medical Center’s Tobacco Quitcenter

Every March for almost two decades, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and The United Health Foundation have organized and sponsored Kick Butts Day, a national day of activism and awareness of the problem of tobacco within states and their local communities. Kick Butts Day empowers youth to stand up against Big Tobacco at over 1,000 events in the United States and around the globe.

As tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., killing more than 400,000 people every year, the importance of keeping this harmful substance away from today’s youth is greater than ever. Although great strides have been made in the fight against tobacco, everyday more than 3,000 kids and teenagers under 18 try smoking for the first time, turning 700 of them into daily smokers.

For smokers of all ages, it is imperative to quit smoking in order to maintain a healthier lifestyle and reduce the risk of various cancers. It is also important for adult smokers to set an example for the teenagers in their lives by quitting their tobacco use. In order to conquer the addiction successfully, a comprehensive and long-term approach must be taken. Setting a quit date is a great way to begin, and there is no better day to begin this journey than Kick Butts Day, on March 19th. In fact, 73 percent of smokers who set a quit date and completed professionally assisted treatment at Somerset Medical Center’s Tobacco Quitcenter were tobacco-free six months later.

Although it is a long and difficult process for most people to quit smoking, you can triumph if you properly prepare yourself for the process. If you have tried to quit before and were unsuccessful, you already have an idea of what techniques may or may not work for you. Working with your health care clinician can dramatically increase your success rate. Somerset Medical Center’s Tobacco Dependency Treatment Program includes an evaluation, specialized counseling and, when needed, pharmacotherapy to help deal with the nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

If you or a loved one are thinking about quitting, it is important to keep the following tips in mind, in order for this process to be as comfortable and effective as possible:

Set a Quit Date. Pick a date within the next two weeks to quit smoking. This will give you enough time to prepare. Really think about your quit date. Avoid choosing a day where you know you will be busy, stressed, or tempted to smoke.

Get Support. Quitting smoking is easier when the people in your life support you. Let them know you are planning to quit and explain how they can help. If a close friend or loved one also smokes, ask them to quit with you or refrain from smoking around you. Ask those around you to check in on your progress and to hold you accountable. Also, look to your local hospital or medical centers for support groups to join, to connect with people who are going through similar experiences.

Plan for Challenges.  It is important to know your smoking habits and develop new coping methods for triggers (specific people, places, or activities that make you feel like smoking). Also, be aware of the psychological and physical nicotine withdrawal symptoms and develop a plan to minimize them. Although you may be tempted to smoke to relieve feelings of withdrawal, remember that they are only temporary.

Ask about Treatment Options. Quitting “cold turkey” is not your only choice. Speak with a tobacco treatment specialist or your local doctor about techniques and/or medications to manage cravings. Many treatment options, especially Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), are available without a prescription. This includes the nicotine patch, nicotine gum or nicotine lozenges, Nicotrol ® inhaler, and nicotine nasal spray. You can also consider non-nicotine pills, such as Chantix or Zyban.

Focus on Today. Every day you refrain from smoking brings you one step closer to an overall healthier and happier life. You can also stay motivated by rewarding yourself; use the money you save by not buying cigarettes for something special.

Whether you plan to quit today or someday soon, by educating yourself and the youth in your community about the harmful effects of tobacco, you can contribute to a healthier future. We can win the fight against tobacco by preventing kids and teens from smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products, helping current tobacco users quit and protecting everyone from harmful secondhand smoke. In honor of Kick Butts Day, I encourage you to keep educating yourself on the benefits of quitting your tobacco use, and to reach out to your tobacco treatment specialist and/or physician if you have any questions or concerns about your health.