Smoking Cessation Resources: GUWellness: Mind, Body, Soul

According to the CDC, more people in the United States die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. This is true for both men and women. In fact, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the US, causing more deaths each year than HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined. Learn more about the dangers of tobacco use from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Did you know?

• 20 minutes after quitting: your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
• 8 hours after quitting: the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. 
• 24 hours after quitting: your risk for a heart attack decreases.
• 1 year after quitting: the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
• 15 years after quitting: the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.

Ready to Quit?  Check out some of the following resources available to you.

www.becomeanex.com  The EX Plan is a free quit smoking program that can show you a whole new way to think about quitting. It’s based on personal experiences from ex-smokers as well as the latest scientific research from the experts at Mayo Clinic.

www.thetruth.com
Why do they make tobacco so sweet? What's it like to live with a tobacco-related disease? You can find out the answers to these, and many more, questions about tobacco and what the tobacco industry would rather you not know.

Smokefree.gov (http://www.smokefree.gov) provides free, accurate, evidence-based information and professional assistance to help support the immediate and long-term needs of people trying to quit smoking. 

Smokefree.gov allows you to choose the help that best fits your needs. You can get immediate assistance in the form of:

• Clearing the Air. A step-by-step guide to quitting from Smokefree.gov. This online guide was created in collaboration with ex-smokers and experts. 
• How much $ will you save? Use this calculator and find out!
• What's the best quit smoking method for you? Compare different approaches (and costs!) as you consider what's right for you.
• National Cancer Institute's telephone quitline, 1-877-44U-QUIT
• Local and state telephone quitlines, 1-800-QUIT-NOW
• NCI's LiveHelp. Specialists can answer your questions about cancer, clinical trials and quitting smoking.

Resources Available from Georgetown University-sponsored health plans

Kaiser Permanente
Members may sign up for an on-line, personalized smoking cessation program at www.kp.org/breathe.

Aetna
Members and non-members may access an on-line library of tools, quizzes and other resources to support them in efforts to quit and remain smoke-free.

CareFirst
CareFirst provides a number of tools and resources for those thinking of quitting, including articles and quizzes, through their MyCareFirst site. Members may also search for Smoking Cessation classes in their neighborhoods. 

UnitedHealthcare
UHC offers its members access to smoking cessation products and services at a discounted rate. Offerings include: The QuickSmart® Stop Smoking Kit and ENDIT^TM  tobacco-free, nicotine-free, smokeless inhalers. You can access these and other discounts by logging on to myuhc.com, clicking on the Health and Wellness tab and following the link to the Health Discount Programs powered by UnitedHealth Allies®. You may also call the discount program directly at 1-800-860-8773.

Online Health Coach: Smoking Cessation Program for UHC members. This program is tailored to your individual smoking habits and needs. You’ll set a “Quit Date” and begin a staged approach to stop smoking. This program features five levels with tips on how to quit, smoking cessation information and access to additional interactive tools to help keep you on track to meet your Quit Date goal.
To access this program, log on to myuhc.com, click ‘Health&Wellness,’ then ‘Your Personal Health Center’ on the right side of the screen.

Flexible Spending Accounts
Do you participate in a Health Care Reimbursement Account? If so, the cost of a program to stop smoking for the improvement of general health is reimbursable, whether or not your doctor suggested the program.
 

State Resources

District of Columbia
American Lung Association of the District of Columbia: (202) 682-5864
www.lungusa.org

Maryland
Maryland's 1-800-Quit Now/www.smokingstopshere.com

This is a free service for Maryland residents provided by Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.  Free call, free support, free medicine to assist you in planning to quit.

American Lung Association of Maryland: http://www.marylandlung.org/

Virginia
Virginia Quitline: 1-877-856-5177/ www.smokefreevirginia.org

American Lung Association of Virginia:
www.kintera.org/site/c.ivKTL8MWIwG/b.1162245/k.BE12/Home.htm
1-800-548-8252

Tools, Quizzes and Calculators

• Nicotine Quiz from CareFirst
• Cost of Smoking Calculator
• "What do you know about quitting smoking?" Quiz

To learn more about what you can do to maintain optimal everyday health and wellness, visit healthfinder.gov, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.