Smoking Cessation

Let us Help you Kick the Habit

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the country. Each year in the United States, about 480,000 people die as a result of smoking. This is about one in every five deaths. In fact, smoking causes more deaths than HIV, drug abuse, alcohol, car accidents, and firearm-related incidents all combined.

People who stop smoking reduces their risk for disease and premature death. Quitting is beneficial for all ages specially if it begins at an early age. Our Smoking Cessation program is designed to help our patients stop smoking by providing them educational information and strategies to help them achieve their goal. You are provided with sessions and useful resources, as well as interacting with groups and family members to help you overcome this habit. 

Sunset Health offers no-cost Smoking Cessation classes and available resources to help you quit smoking. This program includes the following sessions:

• Session 1: Understanding How and Why
• Session 2: Mastering the First Few Days
• Session 3: Mastering Obstacles
• Session 4: Staying Quit and Enjoying it Forever

Understanding the Risks

Tobacco smoke contains a dangerous mix of more than 7,000 chemicals, hundreds of which are toxic. Seventy of these chemicals have been proven to cause cancer. Smoking causes many chronic diseases, such as lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. There are many other ways in which smoking can negatively affect your health:

• Smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes by 30% or higher
• Even people who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day can show signs of early cardiovascular disease
• Smoking can affect men’s sperm, which can reduce fertility and increase risks for birth defects and miscarriage
• Smoking during pregnancy (or being exposed to second-hand smoke) can cause premature birth, birth defects and sudden infant deaths
• Tobacco can harm the health of your teeth and gums and even cause tooth loss

The Benefits of Quitting

When you successfully stop smoking, you’re likely to notice improvements in your health within days. Here are some of the benefits you can expect:

• 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate drops to a normal level
• 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your risk of having a heart attack begins to drop and your lung function begins to improve
• 1 to 9 months after quitting: Your coughing and shortness of breath decrease
• 1 year after quitting: Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s
• 5 to 15 years after quitting: Your risk of having a stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker’s
• 10 years after quitting: Your risk of dying from lung, bladder and cervical cancer is about half that of a smoker’s

If you’re interested in getting help quit smoking, contact the Community Health Worker at your local Sunset Health and ask about our Smoking Cessation program.