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It’s OK to be a quitter: Start your tobacco-free journey

Nov 19, 2024
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If you use tobacco and have tried to quit—whether you smoke, chew, snuff or vape—you know it’s not easy, whether you’ve been using tobacco for five years or 25. But you can do it, with a bit of time and a plan that suits your needs.

Maine’s adult smoking rate is higher than the national average and is the highest of the Northeast states.  Nearly 1 in 6 (15.6%) Maine adults smoke cigarettes, compared to 14.4% of adults nationwide, according to Maine’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Advisory Council.

About 2,400 adults in Maine die each year from conditions caused by their own smoking—including more than 33.6% of cancer deaths in Maine attributed to smoking.

The great thing about quitting is that you begin to get better at once and within just 24 hours without a cigarette, you’ll be at a lower risk of a heart attack and within 48 hours, you’ll notice that you’re better able to taste and smell food.

Here are a few tips to help you get started on a plan:

  • It may seem obvious, but the first thing you need to do is decide to quit—and know why you want to quit. Are you worried about getting sick? Do you want to rid yourself of a 35-year habit because you want to be healthy for your grandchildren? Are you tired of spending money on tobacco? Any reason is a good reason, as long as it’s your reason.
  • Choose a quit day within a couple of weeks or a month in advance to give yourself time to prepare and know how you want to quit. Additionally, set some short-term goals that you can meet.
  • Find the tools you need. Remember, tobacco use is mental and physical. Most people find a way to change their personal habits, then rely on support from a coach or friend, and often include medication. It’s a good idea to talk to your primary care physician or a health coach to find the plan that’s best for you.
  • Practice quitting before your quit day. That is, maybe play a game with your family instead of having a cigarette after dinner. Skip smoking in your car or put off that first morning light.
  • On your quit day, don’t even take one puff, and use the resources you need. You’ll see the impact right away. You’ll likely have to work through withdrawal symptoms, but your heart rate returns to normal within hours. And within two weeks, you’ll notice that you’re already breathing easier.

If you are a Community Health Options Member, we’ll have your back. You have coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for things like nicotine replacement products or any FDA-approved medications to quit tobacco use when they’re prescribed by a network provider. That coverage includes generic nicotine replacement therapy, like gum, patches or lozenges. Community Health Options also covers a 90-day supply of Chantix, a smoking cessation medicine, if your provider decides you need it to get started. Health plans also offer tobacco cessation education and counseling. And if you have access to the Community Health Options digital wellness platform offered through WellRight®, you may also have access to unlimited health coaching. Check your plan for specific details.

  • Maine QuitLink: You can visit the website or call (800) 784-8669 for free resources to help you quit. QuitLink offers a 12-week program with free one-on-one phone coaching, online resources, and 12 weeks of free nicotine replacement gum, lozenges or a patch. You can also enroll in a four-week online program with text messaging support, online chats with a coach, a free four-week starter kick of nicotine replacement gum, lozenges or a patch.
  • The American Cancer Society: You can visit the website and sign up for email support, along with reviewing tips and tools to help you begin to quit tobacco for good.

Community Health Options Members: Check the Health & Wellness Tab in your Member portal for information about. If you have questions, call our Maine-based Member Services team at (855) 624-6463 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You can learn more about tobacco cessation at Healthwise, a nonprofit service Community Health Options offers with unbiased, evidence-based and research-driven answers to your questions. You can also find information about a range of health issues, check symptoms and search tons of topics to support your health.

Follow Community Health Options on LinkedInFacebook or Instagram.

SEE ALSO

Maine's newest free outdoor gym is opening at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF). This is the third Fitness Court® in Maine, thanks to a partnership between Community Health Options and National Fitness Campaign (NFC).

UMF will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6.  at 131 Perkins St., open to students, faculty and staff, and the public.