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December 31, 2014 - 7:31 PM
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If it's on your resolutions list to quit smoking in 2015, there are a number of programs available to help you out.
First and foremost, a trip to the doctor is likely in order. Your local GP has tips and suggestions for local support to help guide you on your quest to stop smoking.
If you're more the lone-wolf type and want to kick your addiction to tobacco there are a number of online resources to help you out as well.
The Canadian Lung Association has a site called quitnow.ca offering a variety of tools such as a phone service to link quitters with coaches and there's a quitter community on Facebook for a strength-in-numbers approach. They also have resources to help others quit, aimed at employers, health care providers, friends and family.
For younger smokers, the government of Canada offers quit4life.ca. Details about this program can be found in schools, colleges and universities, but is also accessed online. They have a guidebook for download that can be mailed out in paper form if needed. Their motto is Get Psyched, Get Smart, Get Support, Get On With It. The program guides quitters through sessation and there are resources for those helping others quit.
National Non-Smoking Week runs from Jan. 18 to 24 in 2015. The related campaign will be put into play through the Canadian Cancer Society. It's one of the longest running campaigns in the country, established in 1977 by an independent organization called The Canadian Council for Tobacco Control. This year, Tobacco Free For Life is highlighting the trend toward fruit-flavoured tobacco products that seem to be aimed at youth.
Another resource aimed at youth is Break it Off, offered through the Government of Canada in conjunction with the Canadian Cancer Society. There is a Facebook support page, apps, a facts page along with tried and true methods for quitting. They also offer quitting coaches and phone support. There are tips for keeping on track.
Smoking can result in lung disease, heart disease, throat and lung cancer and is linked to a variety of other cancers including bladder cancer according to the government of Canada. There is also a risk of blindness in the form of macular degeneration.
Women who smoke may have increased trouble conceiving. Smoking is linked to miscarriage, difficult delivery and sudden infant death syndrome.
Men who smoke have an increased risk of sexual disfunction such as weak erections and impotence. The earlier they begin smoking, the younger these symptoms will appear. A teen smoker can expect problems in their 30s and 40s.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014