More than 50 percent of adult smokers made a quit attempt for at least one day in the last year. The desire to stop may be triggered by a family physician, ever increasing prices, a child’s request, or perhaps the inconvenience of fewer places one can comfortably smoke. Without a doubt, quitting may be significantly helped with the correct information, a plan, and good support.

Quitting is a process rather than an action. If you want to stop, prepare yourself with basic information, a willingness to get support, and by knowing what to do when a ‘craving’ occurs.

Over forty million people have successfully stopped smoking, the great majority without medicine, nicotine patches, or gum. Stopping is very doable. “Staying stopped,” however, requires a decision, personal commitment, a willing to be uncomfortable for brief periods over several days, and planned self care.

Speak with your physician, use nicotine support groups, or call the free Quit Line (800-784-8669) or the local Tobacco Prevention Program (209-8285). Seek coaching/professional support from informed sources.

If you had short term success before, consider it a learning experience. It does not predict what you can do now. Never quit quitting.

Jay Collum
Chattanooga Hamilton County Health Department

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I quit smoking Labor Day weekend 2008 after several failed attempts. I used a company-sponsored quit smoking plan. They gave advice and support and provided nicotine gum or patches. I chose the gum, but only used it for about three weeks.

What I found out when I quit was the most important tool is yourself - you have to want to quit. If you don’t, you won’t.

You have to make certain lifestyle changes. Those changes are all up to you and what fits you best. Mine became food for the first two months.
I don’t recommend this. I then started to concentrate on eating healthy or at least better than I was. I started to exercise on the Wii fit then joined the YMCA.

Six months after I quit, I had lost 30 pounds and could run a couple of miles. Now I can run up to five miles. I lost a total of around 40 pounds and have been working out 3-5 days a week between running and working out with weights. So I basically replaced one habit with another.

The point is for you to take your mind off smoking and each person has to figure that out for themselves. But I hope to be around to see my kids grow up and have grandchildren.

Danny Brookshire

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As a smoker I know a lot of other smokers. I don't know many who've tried to quit smoking in the last year, much less "over 50% of" them.

To be sure, we must consider that 47.836% of all statistics are made up on the spot so we also have to question the derivation of this "over 50% of adult smokers made a quit attempt for at least one day in the last year" statement. Unless, of course, we consider those like me who stop smoking 40 or 50 times a day, sometimes more, and those of us who occasionally work in areas where smoking is prohibited for one reason or another, usually because we might cause explosions and stuff, these sorts of statistics have no validity.

Gosh, the next thing we know they'll be trying to outlaw chocolate ... and salt. But wait, they're already trying to do the salt deal ... again. They tried to discourage salt usage 40 and 50 years ago, but I'll never forget watching the news that day in 1985 when they had to admit that salt didn't have the detrimental affect on blood pressure they suspected ... and I grabbed my salt shaker back. Neither will I forget sitting in a Waffle House in Nashville that day some dude came in and asked for an egg white omelet, cooked with just a little olive oil, whole wheat toast, and unsweetened orange juice with no pulp. Just before this they had announced in the news that eggs didn't have the affect on cholesterol as previously believed. The response of that waitress was priceless.

Could we please have a little truth in advertising here?

However, I must also thank Mr. Collum for showing me from whence Rep. Floyd gets his statistics ... the ones Richard attempts to cite when he tells me I need to quit smoking, and that he'll use the power of a government gun if he can to do so. He knows better than me what's good for me, whether I like it or not.

If we're going to cite statistics and science, could we please use honest figures and legitimate science instead of belief and superstition?

Royce E. Burrage, Jr.
Royce@Officially Chapped.org

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As a child of a parent who died from illness caused by smoking I want to say I completely agree with Jay. Never quit quitting; your family and loved ones will thank you for the extra time.

If you smoke, you're putting your life at risk. There's enough crazy things in this world that can cause your life to end prematurely. You don't need to increase those odds by sucking on a death stick.

Matthew DeGlopper