Quit Tips

How quickly your body will recover:

  • In twelve hours, your blood is free of carbon monoxide.
  • In two days, the nicotine and its by-products are out of your system.
  • In three months, your lungs regain the ability to clean themselves.
  • In a year, your risk of dying from heart disease has halved.
  • In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer is more than halved and continues to decline over time.

 

Get Help.

  • Call the Colorado Quit Line (800-QUIT-NOW) or visit http://www.co.quitnet.com.  Get registered and receive eight weeks of nicotine replacement therapies (patch or gum).
  • Visit http://www.fixnixer.com to receive mobile quit information and customized motivational text messages to help you during your quit attempt.

 

Take it one step at a time.

  • Set a quitting date and stick to it. Most smokers who want to quit say, "I'll quit tomorrow." But for most, tomorrow never comes.
  • Don't quit during stressful times. When you have stress, you feel irritable and not smoking may make that worse.
  • Tell important people that you want to quit. When they are aware of your intentions to quit, they can keep you on track with your plan.
  • Ask your doctor for help. Your doctor can prescribe medicines to make the process a little easier.
  • Be active. Keeping yourself busy is a great way to forget about smoking. If possible, make it part of interacting with friends by scheduling times for rollerblading, gardening, etc. Enjoying the company of others can help you forget about smoking.
  • Satisfy your oral cravings. Some people find that keeping bubble gum, hard candy or suckers handy satisfies their need to have something in their mouth in place of cigarettes.
  • Resist cravings using the 4 D's: Delay, Deep breath, Drink water, Do something else.
  • Use the buddy system. Find another person who wants to quit smoking and do it together. Having someone else to talk to who can understand your frustrations or problems can make the process easier.
  • Quitting is part of a new healthier lifestyle. Try to eat healthier foods and get more exercise, even if it's just taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking to the store.
  • Eliminate drinking alcohol.  If you smoke when you drink or have started smoking again after a night of drinking - put down the booze with the smokes.  At least until you feel confident in your quit attempt.
  • Reward yourself with the money you save. Do you know how much you send on cigarettes?  Set aside the money you would spend and watch the pile grow.  Reward yourself with a trip or celebrate being a former smoker.
  • Remind yourself why. Write down your own personal reasons to quit and refer to them if you ever feel tempted to light up.