tobacco cessation

It’s OK to Not Be Ready to Quit

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“What are your thoughts on quitting at this time?” is a question I’ve asked perhaps more than any other since beginning work within the tobacco reduction field.

Tobacco Treatment Specialists (TTS) are trained to screen people who use(d) some form of commercial tobacco to determine their readiness to quit and interest in working within a tobacco reduction program. Within the clinics and other organizations that house these programs throughout MIchigan, additional staff are also trained to screen and refer individuals interested in reducing their tobacco use to the TTS. If someone is not ready, the conversation is paused and put off until a follow up screening can occur. If the individual indicates readiness to quit, or interest in working with a tobacco treatment professional, they are referred on to develop their own quit plan.

In a perfect world, readiness to quit would always strengthen and lead to a successful cessation of commercial tobacco use. Individuals would overcome cravings and urges to smoke without challenges to their motivation, and they would never have to deal with the question of “am I truly ready to quit?” In reality, tobacco cessation is often a non-linear process where motivation to quit increases and decreases depending on the day, hour, and even minute. It’s not uncommon for people to be ready to quit one day, and never want to even think about quitting the next. In a society that still struggles with stigmatizing those who use commercial tobacco products, not being ready to quit can feel embarrassing. This feeling of embarrassment can often lead to people feeling pressured to quit, whether they truly are or not.

Here are three reasons why it’s OK to not be ready to quit your commercial tobacco use.

1. Quitting is Challenging 

Quitting smoking is challenging two reasons:

  1. Nicotine withdrawal and
  2. You have to adjust your daily routine to not include smoking 

Neither is an easy feat and can be intimidating for anyone looking to reduce, whether they have previous quit experience or not. Determining where to start and how to counter cravings or urges to smoke can alter confidence in one’s ability to quit. Though both can be dealt with successfully in the short and long term, it’s okay if the challenge seems daunting at the time being.

2. Only You Can Determine How to Quit

The most important part in developing any quit plan is to know that only YOU can determine how you are going to quit. No outside person whether it be a TTS, a doctor, a case worker, or a loved one can tell you the best way for you to quit. Whether they have successful quitting experience or not, we know that there is no guaranteed way for all people to quit, and that anyone who uses commercial tobacco will have to plan ways to cope with their specific challenges.

3. It’s NEVER Too Late to Quit

Whether you’ve quit before or not. Whether you’re 22 or 72. Whether you smoke half of a pack per day or two packs per day. Whether your entire family smokes, or no one in your family smokes. The best thing about trying to quit commercial tobacco products is that each new day is always another opportunity to quit or to think about quitting. 

Many question what the point of quitting late in life is, especially if they feel they won’t enjoy the long term benefits of quitting as long as someone who quit in their 20s/30s/40s/50s would. But there are short term benefits that one can experience almost immediately and throughout the first year of being quit including:

How Can I Build Readiness to Quit?

Even if one is not currently ready to quit, you might still know that you would like to quit someday. But how does one build readiness to quit? There are various ways to build both motivation and readiness to quit including:

  • Explore new resources – look into options previously unused. Quit medications, Quitlines, online resources, support groups, or tobacco treatment programs can all be a great place to start. 
  • Consider the benefits that you will experience – both short and long term, write down all the positives you might experience when quitting. 
  • AND the benefits that are most important to you – highlight the benefits that are most important to you. These will build motivation to and interest in quitting more than a general list will. 
  • Find support or program options – whether in support groups, healthcare settings, or amongst friends and other loved ones, think about where you will find support and who you can count on. 
  • Review what worked for you, what might work for you, and what you think won’t work for you when quitting – if you have experience in quitting, you might have concerns about your ability to quit successfully long term. But previous quitting experience can be helpful in determining what has previously worked and what hasn’t, which sets you up at a great starting place. Make a list of what’s been helpful previously in craving management, and other options that may be helpful to explore this time. 
  • Try a practice quit day – pick one day, or even a half of a day, and try to go without tobacco. This will give you a better idea of what you might need to be prepared for and allow confidence to build in small successes.

Quitting commercial tobacco use can be intimidating, and though many people who use tobacco products want to quit, many are unsure of whether they’re ready or not. It’s not uncommon for people to feel pressured into quitting, whether it be by family, friends, health care providers, or even society at large. But it is okay to not be ready to quit commercial tobacco, it’s even okay to be unsure of whether you’ll ever be ready to quit. Just know that when you are ready, or if you think you might be ready, there are resources and support options available to help make it happen.

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Think you might be ready to quit or just want to know more about options? 
Contact our team for more information:

Caitlyn Clock
Tobacco Treatment Coordinator
cclock@miunified.org
(313) 316-7561

6 Tips for Tobacco Reduction During the Holidays

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As another holiday season approaches, it’s important to take time to consider how this time of year can impact your tobacco reduction goals. For many, this time of year can be incredibly motivating when it comes to commercial tobacco reduction due to weather changes, time spent with friends and family, and the feeling of a “fresh start” as we ring in a new year. However, like any holiday, a variety of emotions are in play including joy, love, stress, sadness, loneliness, nostalgia, and more. These feelings can often be exacerbated by established traditions and the media putting additional pressure on us to have the “perfect holiday”. 

We know when it comes to smoking cessation that emotions can play a major role in both successes and challenges faced. We also know that having a plan and preparing for challenges when reducing can help people feel more ready to stick to their reduction goals. But what are some ways you can prepare for the holiday when reducing your use?

Tips for Tobacco Reduction and the Holidays

  1. Get enough rest. Exhaustion will only leave you feeling more stressed which may increase the urge to smoke. Do your best to make sure you are getting enough sleep at night or schedule out times to have a nap during the day when needed. This will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to participate in events and gatherings.

  2. Set boundaries – it’s okay to say no! To extra visits, events, financial commitments, or other stressors. The holidays can be a nostalgic time for many of us, and that can often lead to pressure to make sure things are a certain way or are exactly the same as previous years. But sometimes this can lead to over-exertion and increased stress. Sit down with your loved ones to discuss plans and responsibilities and suggest changes that might need to be made ahead of time. Making sure everyone is on the same page can go a long way in preventing unexpected stressors.

  3. Have a replacement method on hand. Cravings are tough, and sometimes can occur at unexpected moments. Plan to have something on hand like a snack, a fidget toy or stress ball, a puzzle book, gum, or anything else that has been helpful in coping with cravings. Make sure you always know where it is so you can easily access it when you are dealing with a challenging moment. 

  4. Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated can help improve your mood and leave you feeling more energetic, especially when activities and events are keeping you busy. Additionally, a glass of water can be a great way to cope with cravings without picking up tobacco.

  5. Don’t beat yourself up IF things don’t go your way. Like any other major event in our lives, the holidays are prone to not having everything go exactly as planned. This is also true for plans surrounding reduction and cessation efforts. While it is important to plan to help yourself succeed in your goals, it’s equally important to extend yourself grace IF things don’t turn out the way you planned. Remember: small slip ups do not have to impact or prevent your long term success. Give yourself the chance to get back on track with your goals rather talking yourself into abandoning them.

  6. Take time to enjoy the season. Regardless of your plans or traditions, the end of the year can be a great time to reconnect with loved ones and find joy. Both of which can support your goals with reduction. Take time to enjoy everything you love about this time of year OR find opportunities to make new happy memories to look back on next year. Remember, regardless of where you are with your reduction plans: you deserve the chance to relax and enjoy time with the ones you love.

Tobacco Reduction resources and supports 

When developing a quit or reduction plan, we often discuss the importance of having support whether it comes from a TTS, a friend, a coworker, or anyone else in your life. But the holidays can impact availability and your access to them. Because of this, it’s good to have additional resources prepared to fall back on when you’re facing a challenging moment. Such resources might include:

  1. A Quitline service: the Michigan Quitlink has available services for support including online and phone-based support and available 24/7.

  2. Check out the Quit Plan Builder at Smokefree.gov for an easy option to develop or alter your quit or reduction plan.

  3. Phone applications can offer assistance in tracking your days quit and motivation reminders, as well as tips and other resources when facing tough moments.

  4. Have a designated friend/family member that you can reach out to when you’re in need of support. Having this set up in advance allows you to know who is going to be available for a check in and when. 

The holidays can be a joyful yet tumultuous time for many. New or additional challenges or stressors DO NOT have to prevent you in reaching your goals. Take time now to make a plan so you can feel prepared and in control of your reduction efforts this season. 

For more tips you can check out our video for navigating reducing your tobacco use during the holidays and articles like this one.

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Have any questions or are looking to reduce commercial tobacco use?
Reach out to our tobacco reduction team:

Caitlyn Clock
Tobacco Treatment Coordinator
cclock@miunified.org
313-316-7561

Commit to Quit: World No Tobacco Day 2021!

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What is World No Tobacco Day?

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is an annual global event sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). Falling on May 31st, WNTD’s purpose is to inform the public on “the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations”.

WNTD was initially created in 1987, with the World Health Assembly passing a resolution that would declare April 7th 1988 a “world no-smoking day”. The goal was to encourage current tobacco users to abstain from using tobacco products for a 24-hour period. In 1988, a second resolution passed naming May 31st the official date for World No Tobacco Day and making it an annual event.  

Each year, WHO chooses a different theme to accompany the day. With the first theme being “Tobacco or Health: Choose Health”. Since then, we have seen various themes focused on health, tobacco industry tactics, and ways we can fight back. This year’s theme of “Commit to Quit” comes from the renewed commitment to quit many people who currently use tobacco products have found as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

WNTD 2021: “Commit to Quit”

For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a new reason to quit their tobacco use, but what does that look like for people who are unsure of quitting or for people who feel the pandemic has decreased their motivation to quit? Tobacco cessation is a different process for everyone, and there is no single guaranteed path to a successful quit. Similarly, the idea of “Commit to Quit” might look different from one person to the next.

Your “Commit to Quit” might be one hour, one day, one year, or maybe forever. Your “Commit to Quit” might not be for this year’s World No Tobacco Day event, but rather a new commitment to yourself to quit one day in the future. “Commit to Quit” might mean taking the time on May 31st to simply consider reducing your tobacco use, or it might mean taking time to explore the options and resources that are available to you. 

Ways to Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved with this year’s World No Tobacco Day event, including options to meet you wherever you’re at on your quit journey. You can:

Resources 

There are many resources available online when it comes to tobacco cessation. In addition to our counseling-based tobacco treatment services at UHHB we have our tobacco blog, a monthly live stream (every second Tuesday of the month at 2:00 PM) on Facebook and Youtube (livestreams recorded and saved to both websites),  and our World No Tobacco Day video series being posted this month leading up to the big day. You can also reach out to our Tobacco team for additional information and resources.

If you’re interested in other web- or phone-based resources you can check out Smokefree.gov and smartphone applications like “SmokeFree”, “myQuitTime”, and “quitStart”.These apps and websites can be helpful in setting up a plan, tracking your days quit, building motivation, and finding distractions or other coping strategies for cravings. 

Local quitlines are another great resource to utilize to build motivation and start your own reduction plan. You might also reach out to your doctor or another trusted healthcare provider if you are interested in quit medications or discussing the benefits of quitting or reducing your tobacco use. 

Commit to Quit? Maybe!

World No Tobacco Day can be a great day to either start or continue your quit journey. Wherever you are, or whatever “Commit to Quit” looks like for you, remember that tobacco cessation looks different for everyone. Any attempt you make in reducing your use whether it be a definitive quit, smoking one less cigarette a day or week, deciding to try again after a past attempt didn’t go like you hoped, or simply reading up on available resources for tobacco cessation is a step worth celebrating. Whether you’re planning to participate in this World No Tobacco Day or it’s just another day for you, any day, regardless of whether it’s a “tobacco holiday” or not, is a good day to “Commit to Quit”.

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Want to learn more about this year’s World No Tobacco Day or just interested in tobacco reduction resources? Contact our tobacco reduction team:

Detroit

Amber Jager – (313) 316-6226

ajager@miunified.org

Ypsilanti/Jackson

Caitlyn Clock – (313) 316-7561

cclock@miunified.org