Tobacco Cessation

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. You have so much to gain by putting together a plan to quit. While quitting can be difficult, you don’t have to go through it alone. Get support. Get information. Get healthy. You can choose which option works for you.
 
St. Joseph is proud to partner with the Public Health-Idaho North Central District to provide free group classes (individual classes may be available by request). Classes are held monthly at the Medical Center and taught a Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist.  To register or learn more, call 208-799-0354.

Why Quit Smoking?

You probably have a few reasons of your own, but there may be reasons to quit smoking that you haven’t considered. Here are some important ones:

Feel Better
Tobacco use delays healing. By quitting tobacco, you’ll recover quicker from cuts, incisions, wounds, or broken bones. You’ll soon find you have more energy and are able to breathe easier. Eventually, you’ll no longer have urges to smoke, leaving you free to focus on the important things.
 
Prevent Disease
Health risks of tobacco use include: various cancers, asthma, emphysema, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Pregnant women who smoke have a higher risk of premature delivery, low birth-weight babies, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Look Better
Smoking accelerates aging, so you’ll get wrinkles faster than you would if you didn’t smoke. You may also have:
-Bags under your eyes
-Damaged teeth and gums
-Saggy skin
-Hair loss

Fill Your Wallet
It’s simple. Quit now and you’ll have more money. We’ll break it down for you. If you smoke a pack a day, you will save around $180 per month if you stop smoking. Take a moment and think about it. What could you and your family do with an extra $2,100 per year?

Protect Those You Love
Secondhand smoke is the mixture of smoke given off by the burning of cigarette, pipe or cigar. It’s dangerous to those around you and can cause respiratory diseases and lung cancer in adults. Children breathing in your smoke can have more frequent ear infections and develop asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and tonsillitis.

Third-hand smoke is residue that lands on surfaces such as hair, clothing, carpets, and furniture., and is absorbed through your skin. This exposes children and others to cancer-causing, disease-provoking particles through contact and ingestion.

Resources to Help you Quit

Idaho Quit Line
The Idaho quit line offers free phone counseling sessions and access to free nicotine replacement products. For more information call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

Washington Quit Line
You will receive one call with a quit counselor to set up a quit plan and help you quit or stay quit. If you are over age 18 you can also request self-help materials by mail. You may be eligible for two weeks of free nicotine replacement gum or patches. For more information call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

Free Online Tobacco Cessation Programs