‘Tis the season to quit tobacco

To the editor:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — quit season.

The holiday season looks a little different this year, and stress levels may be at an all-time high for many of us. But, the new year is here, and it’s a great time for fresh starts. If you’re someone who uses tobacco, the best thing you can do for your health this year is to make a quit plan.

Smoking is still the number one cause of preventable death in Indiana. Making the decision to quit in 2021 can dramatically reduce your risk for life threatening diseases and even make all of your holiday meals taste better.

Quit plans: combine quit smoking strategies to keep you focused, confident and motivated to quit, help identify challenges you will face as you quit and ways to overcome them, and can improve your chances of quitting smoking for good.

SmokeFree.gov includes the following steps for having a successful quit plan:

•Pick a quit date

•Let loved ones know you are quitting

•Remove reminders of smoking

•Identify your reasons to quit smoking

•Identify your smoking triggers

•Develop coping strategies

•Have places you can turn to for immediate help

•Set up rewards for quit milestones

And if you need assistance, call (800) Quit-Now for a free, confidential quit coach or visit QuitNowIndiana.com. Make 2021 your best year yet by making the decision to quit.

Sydney Haines

Tobacco prevention coordinator

Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition