Quitting nicotine: It may be the best choice you'll ever make

Quitting nicotine is hard. Whether it is commercial tobacco or vaping, several serious attempts may be needed tp finally cease this difficult addiction. While an attempt may not be successful, it should never be viewed as a failure — but rather as an important step toward your goal of a healthier lifestyle.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, while it may take several attempts to quit for good, you should remember that even small successes are wins. For instance, you may find that the next time you try to quit, you are able to go longer without a cigarette or vape than the last time; or you might discover an added behavior such as exercise helps to stave off your cravings. Each time you make a quit attempt, you learn new techniques to implement and move one step closer to being able to call yourself a “former smoker” or “former nicotine user.”

Benefits from quitting are almost immediate

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as soon as you quit, a series of changes in your body occur almost instantaneously, and the benefits continue the longer you remain a nonsmoker.

• 20 minutes after quitting: Heart rate drops.

• 12 hours after quitting: Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

• Two weeks to three months after quitting: Heart attack risk begins to drop. Lung function begins to improve.

• One to nine months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

• One year after quitting: Added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

• Five years after quitting: Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.

• 10 years after quitting: Lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s. Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.

• 15 years after quitting: Risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker’s.

Free professional help is available to all

The Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program offers a comprehensive line of services to help you quit. The Montana Quit Line offers assistance designed for your specific needs. Staffed seven days a week, 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with 24-hour voicemail, you can leave a message and your call will be returned. Choose the program that best meets your needs:

Montana Tobacco Quit Line

Cessation services for all Montana adults:

• 1-800-Quit-Now (1-800-784-8669)

• A free personalized quit plan.

• 5 free pro-active cessation coaching sessions.

• An online option to chat with a coach through the Quit Line webpage.

• Eightt weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy available for callers engaged in the program.

• Reduced cost cessation medication.

New Young Adult (18-24) Quit Line Program

In addition to the Montana Tobacco Quit Line services, the Young Adult Program offers:

• Free coaching session by live text, online chat or phone.

• Unique five-digit code for texting, 36072

• Coaches specially trained in working with young adults.

Quit Now Montana Pregnancy and Post-Partum Program

In addition to the Montana Tobacco Quit Line services, the Quit Now Montana Pregnancy Program offers:

• A free female personal coach.

• Free NRT during pregnancy and additional weeks postpartum.

• Cash incentives — $20 for completed coaching calls while pregnant (up to five calls), $30 for completed coaching calls post-partum (up to four calls).

• None free coaching calls.

• Note: Be sure to identify yourself as pregnant when calling the Montana Tobacco Quit Line.

My Life, My Quit

A program to directly help youth under the age of 18, My Life, My Quit offers:

• Five free coaching sessions either by text, chat or phone to help youth under 18 quit all forms of tobacco including vaping.

• Dedicated toll-free number, 1-855-891-9989.

• Five-digit code for live texting, 36072.

• Online enrollment at http://www.mylifemyquit.com .

• Respects privacy through confidential enrollment and coaching. No one will know someone enrolls unless they want them to know.

American Indian Commercial Tobacco Program (AICTP)

In addition to the Montana Tobacco Quit Line Services, the AICTP offers:

• Free culturally sensitive coaching with American Indian coaches.

• Ten free coaching sessions.

• Dedicated toll-free number: 855-5AI-QUIT (885-524-7848).

• Staffed Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., MST.

The benefits of quitting are well worth the effort — for yourself and for the people who care about you. For assistance to quit nicotine products for good, contact your physician, or call the Montana Tobacco Quit Line at 866-485-7848 (1-800-QUIT-NOW).

Havre Public Schools and the HELP Committee and Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line are committed to promoting safe and healthy lifestyles to become long-lived, responsible citizens. For more information on this or related topics, contact the HELP Committee at 265-6206.