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Health & Fitness

Re-Resolution: Stop Smoking Again

If your “stop smoking” New Year’s resolution already seems like a distant memory, don’t give up. Most smoking-cessation studies conclude that motivation, not a date on the calendar, is the most important factor in predicting whether or not a smoker will quit for keeps.

Concerns about the cost to your current or future health, the expense of cigarettes, setting a good example for children and cosmetic concerns are all great incentives. Staying focused on your motivation will help you keep your re-resolution.

Make sure to have good preparation and support on your side too. Even President Obama said it took several attempts to stop smoking before he made it work. He attributes his success to the support of his wife and children, exercise and cessation medications like nicotine gum.

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Ready to Stop Smoking?

If you’re ready for a re-resolution, these tips will help you to stop smoking:

  • Make your quit date on a birthday or anniversary that is significant to you.
  • Quit on a Monday, and recommit each week.
  • Find a buddy to quit with and/or to support you.
  • Develop a quit plan with your doctor.
  • Join a local cessation program or call a smokers’ quitline.

People usually try to stop smoking several times before they are successful. Regardless of how much or how long you have smoked, you can do it. And you don’t need to wait until next January to find out.

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Take advantage of free smoking-cessation services throughout the metro New York area from the North Shore-LIJ Health System. We have helped thousands of people quit smoking and have one of the highest success rates in the United States.

For Nassau and Queens, contact the Center for Tobacco Control.
For Manhattan, contact the Lenox Hill Hospital Tobacco Dependence Support Group.
For Staten Island, contact the Staten Island University Hospital Smoking Cessation Program.
For Suffolk County, contact Huntington Hospital.

For more encouragement to live healthy, check back next week.

This post was written by Patricia Folan, RN, DNP, director of the North Shore-LIJ Center for Tobacco Control.

For more North Shore-LIJ Health Blog posts, go to http://blog.northshorelij.com/ 

Contents of the health blog are the property of North Shore-LIJ Health System and are provided as a health resource for consumers, health care professionals and members of the media. The medical content on the North Shore-LIJ Health Blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for consultation with your physician regarding diagnosis, treatment or any other form of specific medical advice. These materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "North Shore-LIJ Health System," "North Shore-LIJ," "northshorelij.com," "VivoHealth," their related entities and logos are trademarks of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Copyright © 2011 North Shore-LIJ Health System. All rights reserved.

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