Health Department to Run Smoking Cessation Support Group

The borough will run its first-ever free smoking cessation support group beginning towards the end of this month, with a three-tiered emphasis on how to quit smoking, committing to a specific day to quit, and receiving continuing support and tips.

"Commit To Quit"–sponsored by the Fair Lawn Health Department and the Valley Hospital Community Health Department–takes place on Tuesday evenings from Oct. 26 through Nov. 30 from 6-7 p.m. each week at the Fair Lawn Community Center.

"It's helpful for people to go through this quitting knowing somebody is there and available, and having the information," said Jasalyn King, a certified health education specialist and tobacco treatment expert who is teaching the sessions for Fair Lawn.

The program's first week, called "Planning to Quit," will involve participants meeting each other, explaining why they are quitting smoking, learning how to start nicotine replacement therapy or go cold turkey (giving up smoking all at once), and learning the best practices for quitting. Chief among those best practices is joining support groups, King said.

On week two, labeled "Quit Day," participants will discuss how the concrete date they decided to stop smoking went and what they did to avoid smoking. It's important to commit to a specific quit day to avoid pushing off quitting by saying "Well, I'll do it next week," which many smokers end up telling themselves, King said.

"They know they are quitting with a group, and that day is now," King said of the value of smoking support groups.

Weeks three to six will entail continued group support and counseling on the benefits of quitting and helpful tips for staying smoke-free. Since nicotine addiction–physical and behavioral– lasts four weeks, smoking support groups need to take place over extended periods of time, King said. In this group, King will attempt to help the participants work together to arrive at solutions themselves, rather than simply instructing them.

"I am more of a moderator, we want them to talk to each other and discuss what works for them, what hasn't worked for them," King said.

Carol Wagner, Fair Lawn's health officer, said that while smokers already have the New Jersey Quitline phone service at 1-866-NJSTOPS and the QuitNet online support service, "Maybe people need a little bit more support."

"With all the literature and research that's out there on the negative health effects of smoking, there are still a lot of people out there who do smoke a lot and who want to quit," Wagner said.

Registration is required for the support group at the community center. For more information or to register, please call Jasalyn King at 201-291-6264 by Oct. 19.