Need Oxygen to Smoke
Need Oxygen to Smoke? my editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune on the difficulty of tobacco cessation. What do you think about the policy at the Cleveland Clinic and other large employers that refuse to hire smokers?
Below are my links that were embedded in editorial, but for some reason SLC trib removes them.
…Even in Utah, the state with the lowest rate of tobacco use (9.8%), most of the patients I see come to me because of tobacco-related lung disease. …many tell me it was their own choice to smoke and they have no one but themselves to blame. …most, have started smoking as children: … sometimes lured by the advertising designed to appeal to children. …tobacco cessation rates are quite dismal (only about 6% are able to quit despite the majority of smokers having attempted tobacco cessation). incentives programs have had some success, …
… physiologically susceptible to nicotine …and,… bad medical advice, ..were exposed to cigarettes
And yes, smokers cost all of us more with their healthcare … But arguments in favor …discriminates against hiring smokers … unemployable at many large companies …helping people quit smoking.
But I’m tired of hearing the obese health care executives admonish the members of their healthcare plans to lose weight. … large forces at work here … people with no willpower. …. to women, smoking was sold as a feminist act. … high-calorie, high-salt, and high-fat food became ubiquitous. …parents who smoke is far more likely to start smoking herself.
mybetterdoctor 
I will be going to hunter high next ,to talk to three classes on the bad effects of smoking.
I started at 18 when i joined the navy ,smokes were 1.00 a carton and every one smoked.
Ihave tried every cesation program at VA, i quit at 72 with the help of chantex.
after millions of dollers from tabaco co. people still have to pay for non smoking kits .
would like feed back
Wayne Blair
Wayne the utah tobacco cessation program at 1-800-quit-now offers free tobacco cessation counseling and nicotine supplements. Glad you were able to quit and good luck with the talks. I agree that we should be investing more heavily into tobacco cessation (eg free tobacco cessation medications). It’s a tough addiction!
I quit smoking on January 7th at 2:00 PM in the year 1995. I did it by using Nicorette gum. Here it is 18 years later and I am still chewing Nicorette Gum. How does one get off this type of addiction?
Jan, the 1-800-quit-now utah tobacco cessation line offers free counseling and other resources. Good luck!
we must do more to stop this killing habit.
I am a pack a day smoker. I was born with asthma. After smoking for 15 years, I now have emphysema. I tried to quit last year with the help of nicotine patches, I failed. My insurance only pays for the patches once a year. I am going to try next month on my own without the patches until the insurance will pay for them. Isn’t it weird that they’ll only pay for the patches one time a year? Anyways, wish me luck. I used to be a drug addict and have been clean and sober for 6 years. Smoking is the hardest drug I have ever had to quit. God bless everybody.