Tobacco Prevention & Control

PROMOTION OF QUITTING AMONG YOUTH & ADULTS

Literary master Mark Twain may have very well hit the nail on the head when he said, “Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it hundreds of times.” Like Twain, many Americans have tried over and over again to break the cycle of addiction that began when they smoked their very first cigarette. Many things have changed since the late nineteenth century when Twain was writing books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but one thing remains the same. Tobacco is just as powerful and just as deadly now as it was then – if anything, it’s only become more so today.

Like Mark Twain, most South Carolinians recognize the need to stop smoking. Unlike in 1910 when Twain died, we’ve now got years of scientific research reminding us of the health problems we’ll suffer if we continue to light up. South Carolinians today know they’ll lead longer, happier lives when they nix tobacco, and yet they find a hundred excuses not to stop.

Quitting isn’t easy. If it were, 22.5 percent of South Carolinians wouldn’t continue to pollute their own bodies. Our hope is that this website and our Quitline will be a resource to help you through the hard times.

The South Carolina Tobacco Quitline Will Help You Quit for Keeps

Welcome to South Carolina’s first hotline devoted specifically to helping you quit your tobacco addiction for keeps. Launched in September 2004, the quitline is a program that can help you feel like you’re stubbing out your habit with the help of friends - hundreds of friends from all across the state who are calling in to talk about their cravings, just like you.

When you call toll free 1-800-QUIT-NOW, you’ll be connected with a trained counselor who has experience in smoking cessation. You can talk about your cravings, your kids, your life… whatever it is that makes you want to light up. You’ll find a friend in your counselor - a person who’s been there, done that. A person who can help you realize that quitting isn’t a 100-meter dash, but rather a marathon with no defined finish line. A person who realizes you can still occasionally want a cigarette, months and even years after you’ve stubbed your last one out.

Call when you want to smoke the most. Did you used to enjoy lighting up after a meal? Or maybe it was that first cigarette with your morning coffee that really got you going. After an intense office meeting, did you crave a cigarette break? Throughout the day, wherever and whenever you get that craving, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, that's 1-800-784-8669. From your car, from your office, from your home. A counselor is waiting to pick up the phone and help you Quit for Keeps.

Why Now?

61% of daily and occasional smokers say they are seriously considering quitting in the next six months.

Are you among them? Are there times when you light up, knowing even as you take your first puff that you don’t want to be doing this to yourself anymore? You’re sick of the expense, the isolation, the health side effects, or the concern that you’re modeling a bad habit to your children. Maybe you’ve recently lost someone you love to a smoking related illness, and you finally feel scared enough to take a leap of faith and throw your last pack of cigarettes out with the trash.

You are not alone.

If you’re like over 90% of American smokers, you had your first cigarette when you were less than 18 years old. Whatever your reasons for starting, you were probably like the 95% of teenage smokers today who believe that their habit is just social and they’ll quit within five years. Eight years later, only 25% of them succeed. The rest go on to be long-term smokers who must battle tobacco like any other addiction – one step at a time. Suddenly smoking isn’t social anymore. It’s simply a way of life. You’re visiting this website because you know something has to change. And that something is you.

Knowing Your Numbers

South Carolina Teens

36% of SC high school students smoke
13.8% of SC’s male high school smokers use smokeless or spit tobacco
10,600 SC kids become daily smokers each year
21.3 million boxes of cigarettes are bought and smoked by SC teens each year
90,000 SC kids who are now under 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking

South Carolina Adults

26.6% of SC adults smoke
5,900 SC adults die each year from their own smoking
Up to 1,130 adults, children and babies die each year in South Carolina from others’ smoking

South Carolina Dollars

$854 million is the price tag of SC’s annual health care costs directly caused by smoking
$307 million is the amount of health care costs that are covered by Medicaid
$485 is your tax burden from smoking-related government expenditures
$1.67 million is how much South Carolina loses each year because of lost productivity from smoking

Source: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

In the United States:

22.5% of adults are current smokers
32.9% of adults below the poverty level are current smokers
50.1% of adults who have ever smoked, have quit

Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

The Cycle of Addiction

If smoking is so deadly, why do so many people continue to light up? In one word, the answer is nicotine. Nicotine is a habit-forming drug that causes addiction. It reaches peak levels in both the bloodstream and brain through many channels: the skin, the mouth & nose, and through inhalation into the lungs.

Since the early 20th century, scientists have understood the potency of nicotine. Research shows that almost immediately after a drag is taken from a cigarette, the smoker’s heart rate increases, the body’s flow of oxygen is slowed, the brain wave patterns are altered, the hands become unsteady and the body’s skin temperature begins to drop.

So, why do these negative effects make us crave another cigarette? According to Dr. Stanton Glantz, the body’s response to smoking is what he describes as a “cycle of addiction.”

A drag of a cigarette sends nicotine to the brain.
Over time, the brain develops a tolerance to the nicotine through a change in brain chemistry.
If a person doesn’t light up again after a period of time, the lack of nicotine in the brain begins to bring about withdrawal symptoms.
To compensate, the smoker lights another cigarette, sending another dose of nicotine to the brain, often with even a longer drag and therefore an increased dose than the one before, to synchronize the brain’s new chemistry.

In Only 20 Minutes, Quitting Can Do Your Body Good

Within 20 minutes of smoking your last cigarette,

Your blood pressure drops to a level close to what it was before the last cigarette.
The temperature of your hands and feet increase, returning to normal.
Your pulse rate drops back to normal.

Within 8 hours of smoking your last cigarette,

The carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal.
The oxygen level in your blood increases to normal.

Within 24 hours of smoking your last cigarette,

Your chances of having a heart attack decrease.

Within 48 hours of smoking your last cigarette,

Your nerve endings begin to adjust to the absence of nicotine.
Your ability to smell and taste is improved.

Within 72 hours of smoking your last cigarette,

Your lung capacity increases.

Within 2 weeks to 3 months of smoking your last cigarette,

Your circulation improves.
Your lung function increases up to 30%.
Walking becomes easier.

Within 9 months of smoking your last cigarette,

You’ll notice less coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath.
Your cilia function returns to normal in the lungs, allowing them to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce infection.

Within 5 years of smoking your last cigarette,

Your risk of stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
Your risk of death from lung cancer is reduced to almost that of a nonsmoker.

Within 10 years of smoking your last cigarette,

Your risk of death from lung cancer becomes fully half that of a continuing smoker.
Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease.

Within 15 years of smoking your last cigarette,

Your risk of coronary heart disease becomes that of a non-smoker.

Cost of Smoking Calculator

Disease Dictionary

x-ray image Think lung cancer is the only thing to worry about when you smoke? Think again. Health effects range from allergies to infertility to PMS to ulcers. Test your own medical knowledge. How many diseases did you know were associated with smoking?

Alcohol Interaction
There are many diseases attributed to smoking by itself, however when coupled with alcohol, the risk of cancer, high blood pressure and other diseases increases dramatically. Together alcohol and tobacco do more damage to the body than either does on its own.

Allergies
Cigarette smoking is one of the causes of sinus disease due to the nasal inflammation that occurs when smoke enters into the nose, throat, and lung pathways. Any existing allergy that a smoker has may be further complicated as a result of smoking.

Arteriosclerosis
For most of us, when we were born, we were equipped with arteries that were smooth and fully opened. However, as we get older, plaque begins to build up in our arteries and restricts blood from flowing. Arteriosclerosis is when arteries become hardened with plaque. Smoking quickens this process. Once this happens, adequate amounts of blood, oxygen, and other nutrients are no longer able to reach the heart muscle and the individual may eventually suffer from a stroke or a heart attack.

Bladder Cancer
When you smoke, the chemicals contained in the cigarette smoke are eventually deposited in your urine which is then collected in your bladder. Bladder cancer can occur once these toxic substances are continually in contact with the bladder.

Bronchitis
The lungs are made of tubes called bronchi. Tiny hairs called cilia are located inside these tubes and are responsible for brushing mucus out of the airways. Nicotine prevents cilia from doing its job correctly, and as a result mucus gets trapped in the airways. Once the tars and chemicals settle in the airways the cilia eventually die. This causes smokers to have to cough in order to remove this mucus from the lungs. Continuous coughing causes the bronchi to become sore and will lead to bronchitis. Bronchitis is an inflammation or swelling of the breathing tubes inside your lungs. Bronchitis caused by smoking produces a cough that will never go away. Without treatment, bronchitis will seriously weaken your lungs.

Burns
Smoking not only does damage internally but it harms externally as well. Fires caused by smokers destroy wild life habitats and kills thousands of people each year.

Cardiomyopathy
According to pathologists cardiomyopathies are non-inflammatory diseases of heart muscle. It is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes extremely weak. There are many causes of this disease and smoking is one of them.

Cavities
Cigarette smoke wreaks havoc on your teeth and mouth. Accordingly, injuries that occur in the mouth take longer to heal in the presence of cigarette smoke.

Cerebral Perfusion Deficiencies
Nicotine's most significant effects are on the brain. Nicotine acts on the same brain cells that are normally acted on by a chemical called acetylcholine. In doing so, nicotine changes the way the brain processes information. The term cerebral perfusion deficiency means that the brain in not receiving an ample amount of blood. Cigarette smoke causes the blood vessels to become narrow and this impedes the proper flow of blood.

Child Abuse
You do not necessarily have to hit your child to abuse him/her. Smoking in the presence of a child could be considered abuse as well. Studies upon studies have proven that children who are exposed to second-hand smoke suffer a greater amount of complications due to asthma, bronchitis, and headaches. Accordingly, their risk of lung cancer also increases.

Circulatory Deficiencies
Just as cigarette smoke narrows the blood vessels circulating in the brain, it also does the same to all the vessels located throughout the entire body. Poor circulation becomes a major concern especially in the parts of the body located farthest from the heart, particularly the legs and fingers. This can eventually lead to loss of function or even gangrene.

Drug Interference
Many drugs and even vitamins are made less effective by the chemicals contained in cigarette smoke.

Emphysema
With time, the harmful substances in tobacco tars destroy the air sacs of the lungs. These air sacs are responsible for exchanging carbon dioxide gases for fresh air. Emphysema is the destruction of these air sacs. Once these air sacs are damaged it is impossible to get enough air to breathe, which gives the impression that you can never catch your breath. Unfortunately, damage that occurs as a result of emphysema is not irreversible.

Esophageal Cancer
The esophagus starts from the throat and extends to the stomach. Cigarette substances may cause cancer of the esophagus.

Gingivitis
Smoking worsens swelling and irritation of the gums.

Halitosis
Smoking causes bad breath that is difficult to remedy despite the use of mouthwashes and breath aids.

Headaches
When the brain is not receiving an ample amount of blood, or when there is less oxygen circulating in the blood, this will result in an increased number of headaches. Cigarette smoke causes both of these instances.

Heart Attacks
A heart attack occurs when the heart muscle is not receiving blood. This happens when nicotine narrows or blocks the arteries traveling to and from the heart muscle, thereby reducing its oxygen supply. Unfortunately many heart attack victims die before they reach the hospital.

Hypertension
The more one smokes, the faster plaque begins to build up in the arteries. Once this happens, adequate amounts of blood, oxygen, and other nutrients are no longer able to reach the heart muscle. The hardening of the arteries is what increases your blood pressure as does nicotine. Hypertension is usually the antecedent to a heart attack and stroke.

Infertility
Women: Cigarette smoking causes problems with the Fallopian tubes that pass eggs from the ovaries to the uterus; thereby making it more difficult for a woman to conceive.
Men: The dangerous chemicals in tobacco can cause damage to a man's sperm; thereby making it more difficult for a man to impregnate a woman.
Source: American Society of Reproductive Medicine

Influenza
Influenza is more inclined to effect smokers more so than nonsmokers because cigarette smoke weakens the lungs. Over 20,000 people die annually from the flu and flu related symptoms.

Kidney Cancer
The kidney is the organ responsible for removing waste from the body. In a healthy body, the kidneys filter waste and other impurities from the blood. In people with kidney disease, toxins that the kidneys normally eliminate in urine slowly build up in the body. The most commonly measured of these toxins are urea, a nitrogen waste product, and creatinine. The amount of toxins in the blood roughly indicates how well the kidneys are working. Cigarette smoke adds to the amount of toxins that are present in the body.

Laryngeal Cancer
Laryngeal cancer is another name for cancer of the "voice box". This occurs when there is an uncontrolled growth of malignant cells in the vocal cords and surrounding tissues. When the voice box is exposed to the many cancer causing agents found in cigarette smoke, this increases one's chance of suffering from laryngeal cancer.

Leukoplakia
Leukoplakia is a disease that causes a precancerous lesion to develop on the tongue or the inside of the cheek as a response to chronic irritation. Chronic smoking or tobacco use causes this condition.

Lung Cancer
The more a person smokes the greater the risk of dying from cancer. As a matter of fact, heavy smokers are 24 times as likely to die of lung cancer than nonsmokers. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. According to the American Cancer Society, tobacco use accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking is responsible for 90 percent of lung cancers in men and 70 percent in women.

Menopause
Most women reach menopause between their late 40's and early 50's. Women who smoke cigarettes tend to reach the age of menopause earlier. Cigarette smoke can also further complicate symptoms experienced during the time of menopause.

Oral Cancer
Oral cancer includes cancers of the mouth, tongue, cheek and lips. Tobacco in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco is the leading cause of all these deadly cancers.

Panreatic Cancer
The pancreas is the organ responsible for making insulin. Insulin is the hormone that controls blood sugar and digestive juices. The harmful substances contained in cigarettes easily pass through the pancreas by way of blood vessels. These substances increase one's risk of pancreatic cancer.

Premenstral Syndrome
Premenstral Syndrome (PMS) is a condition that many women experience 7-10 days before menstruation. It causes headaches, backaches, abdominal pain, and depression. Smoking can worsen PMS.

Radioactivity
Tobacco plants are exposed to radioactivity from the ground and the air. The radioactivity that is collected in these plants is eventually processed into cigarettes. When a person smokes, radioactivity goes deep into the lungs, where it may eventually cause lung cancer.

Stroke
Smoking cigarettes narrows arteries, increases blood pressure, and causes plaque build up in the arteries. All of these conditions can lead to a stroke. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is either blocked or it erupts. When this happens insufficient amounts of blood reach the brain. Strokes can be very fatal and many cause paralysis to one side of the body.

Ulcers
Nicotine contained in cigarettes causes the stomach to produce extra acid. Excessive amounts of acid promote the development of ulcers in the stomach lining. Smoking can also prevent existing ulcers from healing.

Wrinkles
Substances contained in cigarettes age the skin and cause it to dry out, thereby promoting wrinkles. People who smoke cigarettes tend to look older than nonsmokers in their age group.

How to Quit

A Quitter’s To-Do List

Throw out all your old packs of cigarettes. Don’t give them to a friend! Toss them in the trash. Search your home from top to bottom and get rid of any ashtrays and old lighters as well. Don’t forget the ash tray in your vehicle.
If you live with people who smoke, ask them to take it outside. Explain that in order for you to live a longer, healthier life, you need their support.
Note the date. Circle your quit day on your calendar. Decide on some rewards you can give yourself when you achieve certain milestones – like going one week without smoking. Maybe there’s a pair of shoes you’ve had your eye on or a weekend getaway you’d like take. Now’s the time to set goals for yourself.
Talk to your doctor. Given your medical history and the number of years you’ve smoked, he or she will be able to recommend a cessation medication.
Start a journal. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; writing on a plain sheet of notebook paper will do the trick. When you write, keep track of your cravings. When do you notice that you most crave a smoke? Carry your journal with you and jot down your cravings as you have them.
Look for patterns. If you find that you always crave a cigarette during your mid-morning coffee break, try changing up your pattern. Substitute the coffee for another beverage or use your fifteen-minute break to walk around your building and stretch your legs. You may notice that your biggest cravings come when you hang out with certain friends who smoke. During your toughest weeks, you may decide it’s best to come up with alternate activities that mean less interaction with smokers.
Clean your house and car from top to bottom. Dry clean any clothing (like jackets) that you wear every day and that might continue to smell like tobacco smoke. Clean your home’s carpets and upholstery. Reintroducing tobacco smoke into your home and vehicle should seem like a really unappealing option when you’re finished.
Tell friends and family that you’re quitting. They can often be your biggest cheerleaders. Ask them to drop you the occasional e-mail, postcard or phone call to keep you motivated and moving in the right direction.
Look into joining a support group. You may decide to participate in an online chat room for former smokers or a local group that meets in your area. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s a group of people just like you who are also interested in talking about their tobacco addiction.

If You Qualify for Medicaid, Quitting Help is at Hand
(Reprinted with permission by The Charleston Post & Courier)

image of smoking medications Sunday, July 4, 2004
State to help poor kick the nicotine habit

Health agency approves program to let Medicaid pay for smoking cessation aids

Associated Press
COLUMBIA--Medicaid will start paying for smoking cessation aids in South Carolina.

The state Department of Health and Human Services approved the program last week, saying it expects the $500,000 annual cost to be offset by a drop in the cost of treating smoking-related diseases.

The state still must get approval from the federal agency that oversees Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor. But state health officials say it is unlikely the state will be turned down since 39 other states pay for similar programs.

That means poor smokers faced with the expense of hundreds of dollars for programs to help them quit can get patches, inhalers, sprays, drugs, gums and lozenges paid for by Medicaid. The aids must be prescribed by a doctor.

"This is a wonderful proposal to decrease the number of Medicaid recipients who smoke," said Warren Derrick, a University of South Carolina pediatrician and member of the HHS Medical Care Advisory Committee.

Most states started paying for such products with Medicaid in the late 1990s, said Sara Hutchinson of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Tobacco Cessation. But only about 10 percent of Medicaid recipients take advantage of the programs, she said.

The expense of South Carolina's program is expected to be offset by a reduction in the estimated $65 million a year the state spends on smoking-related illnesses, state officials say.

"It's critical that Medicaid cover this," said Sue Berkowitz, director of the Appleseed Legal Justice Center and an advisory committee member. "Anything we can do to put a tool in the hand of a smoker (to quit) is a positive step."

At about 25 percent, South Carolina has a slightly higher rate of smoking than the national average. Medicaid recipients are 50 percent more likely to smoke as the rest of the population, Hutchinson said.

Health and Human Services Director Robbie Kerr said the program is part of a larger effort to prevent disease, improve quality of life and save money.

"We're trying to be proactive in the Medicaid program, and this is one way to go about doing it," Kerr said.

Take the Twenty-Question Test: Why Do You Smoke?

Print this quiz (pdf) and once you’ve circled the answers that you most identify with, tabulate your score using the test results section below. Your results may help you get to the bottom of why you light up.

Asking for Help

No one expects this to be easy for you. Beating an addiction is difficult no matter what the substance. Remember that you don’t have to do this alone. Talk to your doctor, your family, your friends. Let your coworkers know so that everyone around you can be sensitive to the fact that you’re trying to quit. Chances are, they’ll avoid putting you in situations where others’ smoking might be a temptation for you.

And remember that even with the support of family and friends, it often takes seeking outside help to conquer tobacco. Ask your doctor about tobacco cessation products and don’t be shy about making the call. 1-877-44U-QUIT. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength.

Making the Call

Sample Call (coming soon!)

Quotes from Satisfied Callers (coming soon!)

Don’t Give Up

Remember that quitting isn’t easy. Many smokers struggle with quitting for years and only succeed after multiple attempts that have taken place over a period of years. In fact, the average smoker tries to quit smoking five times before he or she quits for good. So, if you’re visiting this site for the first time or the fifth, don’t be discouraged. Each time you make an attempt to quit, you increase the odds that you’ll ultimately be successful.

So, maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed. You’ve checked out the site and while you know that stubbing out your smoking habit will ultimately add years to your life, you’re not ready to quit yet. That’s all right. The fact that you’re even visiting this site means you’re heading in the right direction. Quitting takes dedication and the interest you’re showing now proves that you’ll be ready to quit successfully when you decide to make the jump to a healthier, smoke free lifestyle.