The Butt Stops Here

A few helpful pointers to help the smoker in your life kick the habit

Bad breath. Yellow teeth. Coughing and wheezing. These are all tell tail signs that serve as painful reminders that someone you love smokes. According the Center for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 19.8 percent of U.S. adults (43.4 million people) were smokers in 2007. These staggering numbers do very little to curtail the craving of those addicted to nicotine. This blaring trend holds virtually no weight amongst teenagers as well. The American Lung Association (ALA) predicts that “an estimated 6.4 million children smokers (ages 12-17) will eventually die prematurely from a smoking-related disease.” Many deem smoking socially unacceptable, but curbside toking sessions continue. Talking about smoking is difficult, but it’s the first of many steps.

DO address the problem.
“Secondhand smoke causes almost 50,000 deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year, including approximately 3,400 from lung cancer and 22,700-69,600 from heart disease,” states the ALA’s web site. While it may be true that your loved one “only smokes every once in a while,” this doesn’t change the fact that they are causing harm to themselves and those around them. Explain the long term effects of smoking and how it affects you. Ask them what triggers the vice and most importantly, listen.

DON’T point fingers.
No one wins in the Guilt Game. Persistent nagging can make the smoker avoid you like the plague. Smokers tend to soothe negative feelings by smoking. Most people do not succeed in quitting on the first try. It is important not to make your loved one feel guilty if they relapse. A positive attitude is the cure all. The nonjudgmental confidant beats a fresh pack of cigarettes.

DO discuss the benefits of quitting.
The fact that quitting smoking will make your breath stop smelling is obvious. The fact that your body will start healing itself the day you quit is not. In as little as two weeks, lung function will begin to increase. Every cigarette shaves off seven minutes of your life. No matter how long someone has been smoking, it’s important to know that it’s never too late to quit.

DO offer solutions.
Thanks to modern technology, quitting cold turkey is no longer the only option. There are lots of ways to slowly wean yourself off of nicotine, from patches to gum to electronic cigarettes. Talk to your doctor and do your research.

DO offer support.
Support is more than just talking about quitting. Support is about being there in good times and bad; about celebrating successes and helping someone bounce back from slip-ups. It may take years for your loved one to quit, but they need to know that you’ll be there with them every step of the way.