The Healthy College

In this publication:

You Can Do It!

The consequences of smoking on the health of smokers are well-documented. It has also been reported, by the Environmental Protection Agency, that secondhand smoke (smoke created by the burning end of a lit cigarette and/or exhaled by a smoker) can cause lung cancer in non-smoking adults and impair the respiratory health of children. In spite of all of the above as well as several reports by the Surgeon General (beginning with the first report more than 40 years ago) emphasizing the impact of smoking on health, the number of smokers in the United States remains very high. It has been demonstrated that smoking cessation has numerous health benefits. This edition, our newsletter focuses on smoking cessation. For anyone who is considering quitting smoking, we hope that you find this information helpful.

K. K. Bentil, Ph.D.
President
Medical Center Campus

Newsletter
Committee

Editors
Marie Etienne, Chair
Lisa Kokx

Technical Assistance
Iris Lopez, Media Services

Contributors
Marie Etienne, Nursing Faculty
Lisa Kokx, Allied Health Faculty
Carla Levesque, Librarian
Roberta Neway, Instructional Designer, Virtual College
Madeline Pumariega, Dean

Campus President
K. K. Bentil, Ph.D.

Special Acknowledgements
Dr. Sharon Pontious
Dr. Susan Kah
Fara Vasquez

Useful Resources

Miami Dade College’s Libraries have a number of resources on smoking cessation. In addition to the print and web sources recommended below, MDC’s Libraries maintain subscriptions to several online health databases that provide full text Medical Dictionaries, Medical Encyclopedias, and articles from reputable medical journals. These databases can be accessed by connecting to the Libraries’ Homepage at http://www.mdc.edu/ libraries/, clicking on “Find Articles” and entering your Borrower ID and PIN # from your MDCard.

Dying to quit : why we smoke and how we stop
Janet Brigham

Hooked, but not helpless: kicking nicotine addiction
Patricia Allison with Jack Yost

Generation risk : how to protect your teen
from smoking and other dangerous behavior

Corky Newton

Why Stop Smoking?

Think about five positive habits you have and smile; now, think of three negative ones. Now, think about people in general. Which habits are easier to name - positive or negative? You can probably name 'bad' habits quicker than good ones - for example, some of us may eat too much or eat the wrong foods, we may drink too much, we may not get enough exercise, or we may smoke cigarettes. All of these can have unpleasant, and sometimes deadly, consequences. Smoking, for example, greatly increases one's chances of developing lung cancer and/or emphysema. Smokers are also more likely to have heart attacks and strokes. Smoking even increases a person's chances of developing osteoporosis! The dangers are easy to name; it's the quitting that's hard!

Take a quiz

H o w t o Q u i t

There is no one right way to quit. You need to find what works best for you. And, remember, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

"Cold Turkey" - quitting abruptly and totally on a chosen 'Quit Date.'
Step-Down - gradually cutting down on the number of times tobacco is used each day.
Support of Family and Friends - tell family and friends that you plan to quit and ask for their support and understanding. If you have family or friends who are smokers too, ask them not to smoke around you or, better yet, ask them to join you in quitting.
Quit-Smoking Program or Support Group - Join a support group that can help you better understand why you smoke, teach you how to handle withdrawal and stress, and teach you tips to help resist the urge to smoke. Call 1-800-ACS-2345 to find a support group in your area.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) - NRTs can help treat withdrawal symptoms. NRTs provide nicotine in the form of gums, patches, sprays, inhalers or lozenges. Gradually, you will use less or a lower dosage of the NRT until you are able to quit completely. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to determine which NRT is best for you.

Benefits of Quitting

According to the American Lung Association, these are just some of the health benefits of quitting:

Twenty minutes after quitting, your blood pressure decreases, your pulse rate drops, and the body temperature of your hands and feet increases.
Twenty-four hours after quitting, your chance of a heart attack decreases.
Two weeks to three months after quitting, your circulation improves, walking becomes easier, and your lung function increases.
One year after quitting, your excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker.
Five years after quitting, your stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.
Ten years after quitting, your risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers. Risk of ulcer decreases and risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.
Fifteen years after quitting, your risk of coronary heart disease is similar to that of people who have never smoked.
If you have tried to quit or stopped and then started, your chances of stopping smoking are even higher this time. Practice does make perfect.

In addition to all these health benefits, here are some other benefits of quitting:

Your sense of smell and taste will be better.
You will have whiter teeth and fresher breath.
You will save money by not buying tobacco.
You will set a good example for your children and other loved ones.

Websites

Quit Smoking Action Plan from the American Lung Association
Smokefree.gov: You Can Quit Smoking Now! from the Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute

Kick the Habit from the American Cancer Society

Community Health Fair
MDC-Medical Center Campus hosted a Community Health Fair on Saturday, February 18, 2006. Please click HERE for more information.


1st Quarter, 2006