Quit Smoking Programs

Smoking Cessation Presentations 

Want to quit smoking but don’t know where to start? Are you sick of people telling you why to quit but not how to quit? St. Joseph's Hospital offers free one-hour smoking cessation presentations every month and cover a variety of methods to help you kick the habit.

During the presentation, we will discuss methods such as:

• Tobacco Free Florida's Quit Your Way group program, which meets at BayCare locations including St. Joseph's Hospital.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
  • Over-the-counter strength is available in both chewing gum or patch form
  • Prescription strength is available in both spray or inhaler form
  • For smokers with a high nicotine addiction
  • Typically suggested for smokers with unsuccessful past attempts to quit because of cravings
  • When used in conjunction with a behavior change program, such as Quit Your Way, success rate increases
  • There is a low addiction rate because nicotine uptake is slower
  • Money saved by quitting will offset the cost of NRT
  • The goal is to be free of cigarettes and NRT within 6 months
• Alternative Therapy (acupuncture or hypnosis)
  • Users of acupuncture often receive treatments twice a week for three weeks using acupoints known to affect organs directly influenced by tobacco smoke like the mouth, throat, airways and lungs
  • Patients often experience results within first three treatments
  • Hypnosis offers a state of attentive and focused concentration that is induced by the use of therapeutic suggestion
  • People who desire to quit smoking are the best subjects for hypnosis
  • Hypnosis is designed to help you take control of your addiction

• Additional Methods
  • Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) - can boost your body’s levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, imitating the affects of nicotine. Users typically start the treatment two weeks before quitting, and then continue taking it for seven to 12 weeks.
  • SmartShot - a shot that consists of scopolmine (seasickness medication) and atarax (an antihistamine found in Benadryl).

Are you ready to quit smoking?

• Do I want to quit smoking for myself?
• Is quitting smoking a #1 priority for me?
• Have I tried to quit smoking before?
• Do I believe that smoking is dangerous to my health?
• Am I committed to trying to quit even though it may be tough at first?
• Are my family, friends and coworkers willing to help me quit smoking?
• Besides health reason, do I have other personal reasons for quitting smoking?
• Will I be patient with myself if I backslide?

If you answered "Yes" to four or more of the above questions, you are ready to quit smoking.

Did you know? Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 430,700 American lives each year. Smoking costs the United States approximately $97.2 billion each year in health-care costs and lost productivity. It is directly responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer cases and causes most cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

For more information or to register, call (813) 870-4808.