More than 16 million Americans live with a disease caused by smoking, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also reports one in four adults still use tobacco products, at least occasionally. The American Lung Association lists smoking as the leading cause of preventable death.
CHI Memorial’s Rees Skillern Cancer Institute offers a free eight-week Freedom From Smoking program which helps participants learn how to beat tobacco addiction, lifestyle changes that make quitting easier, stress management, how to avoid weight gain and how to stay smoke-free for good, said officials.
Freedom From Smoking is an American Lung Association program that has helped more than one million Americans overcome an addiction to nicotine during the past 30 years.
CHI Memorial’s Rees Skillern Cancer Institute offers day and night classes. The daytime class will begin in the CHI Memorial Center for Cancer Support on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The class is offered every Wednesday for eight weeks from noon-1:30 p.m. Lunch is provided. The night class will begin Monday, Oct. 3, at the CHI Memorial Community Health – Hixson. This class is offered every Monday for eight weeks from 6–7:30 p.m.
The program is designed for a small group setting. Anyone who has a desire to stop smoking should call 495-7778 to register for either class. There is no charge for the program.
CHI Memorial Center for Cancer Support is at 605 Glenwood Dr. CHI Memorial Community Health – Hixson is at 3905 Hixson Pike, Suite 103.