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VA MidSouth Healthcare Network

 

Are you a Smoker?

A woman gives an over sized cigarette a kick.Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. And if you are a former or current smoker, you know the everyday downsides: the smell, the social isolation, the cost, the cough, the worries about your health, and the fear that your kids and/or grandkids will start using tobacco to "be like you." But you also know firsthand how hard it is to break the habit. The good news is that millions of people DO quit successfully, and YOU can be one of them!

Every year, on the third Thursday in November, smokers across the nation take their first step toward a tobacco-free life as part of the Great American Smokeout. This year’s event takes place on November 15, and millions of smokers will quit for that day or use the date to make a plan to quit.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve smoked or how much, there has never been a better time than NOW to kick the habit. Today there are nicotine replacement products and prescription medications to lessen the cravings; hotlines, support groups, and counselors to help you through the rough patches; and numerous online resources to motivate you to stick with your goal. There are even cell phone apps to help you!

Best of all, much of this help is as close as your nearest VA facility! VA providers can help you develop a plan and beat your tobacco addiction, arrange to have medications delivered to your home, and steer you toward smoking cessation clinics that offer individual or group support.

Call today to set up an appointment with your VA provider and visit these online resources for more information.


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