A Quit Smoking Now  Success Plan customized just for you!

1. Assessment

The first step to success is a Quit Smoking Now assessment performed by a healthcare professional.  The smoker is asked about his or her medical history, smoking habits, treatment preferences, triggers to smoking, and past quit attempts – what worked, what didn’t work. 

These questions help determine level of addiction to nicotine and help the smoker become more aware of how and why they smoke.

5.  Your Progress Week by Week
WEEK 1. PREPARATION FOR QUIT DAY 

• Triggers to smoking

• Preparing to quit 

• Nicotine replacement therapy 

• Level of carbon monoxide in your blood

2. Success Plan

By getting a complete picture of an individual smoker, the healthcare professional and the smoker can then create a customized plan for success to use in the upcoming six weeks of individual or group sessions.

The Quit Smoking Now assessment takes the confusion out of the many therapies and drugs to use and for how long—and how to properly use each product for the most benefit. When combined with the six weeks of group or individual counseling sessions, the likelihood of success is significantly increased.

3. Program is Free

There is no cost to enroll in the program. Financial assistance for medications and therapies is available for those who qualify.

Discounts on some therapies are available for everyone, and everyone can qualify for at least one month’s free supply of nicotine patches or gum. Ask your counselor for details.

4. Prescription, Non-prescription Drugs and Therapies Used by the Program

• Nicotine Replacement

  Nicotine patches and gum are available without a prescription to help smokers cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms. All program participants can qualify for one month’s free supply of patches or gum. Those individuals with family incomes below $45,000 annually can qualify for two month’s free supply.

• Prescription Drugs

  The AHEC Quit Smoking Now program uses varenicline, a prescription medicine that helps reduce the urge to smoke and contains no nicotine. Prescription nicotine “puffer” and nasal sprays also are used as nicotine replacement therapies.

 

• Counceling

  When performed by trained smoking cessation experts, counseling is an effective and critical component of any quit smoking effort. In fact, according to a recent study in the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” counseling, when combined with certain prescription drugs, can double the success rate of individuals who are trying to stop smoking.

• Acupuncture, Cold Laser and Hypnosis
  Some believe these therapies can help smokers quit, and in certain cases, these are offered in collaboration with qualified, licensed providers in the area.

5.  Your Progress Week by Week
WEEK 1. PREPARATION FOR QUIT DAY 

• Triggers to smoking

• Preparing to quit 

• Nicotine replacement therapy 

• Level of carbon monoxide in your blood

WEEK 2: QUIT DAY

• Coping with withdrawal stress
  

• Management techniques

• Rewarding yourself

• Activities to replace smoking

WEEK 3: ONE WEEK TOBACCO FREE

• Understanding addiction

• Relapse prevention and support

• Avoiding those triggers

WEEK 4: THE HARDEST PART IS OVER

• Money you save by quitting

• Nutrition and exercise

WEEK 5: IT'S GETTING EASIER

• Feeling healthier

• Lower levels of carbon monoxide in your blood

WEEK 6: CONGRATULATIONS!

• FL Keys AHEC follow-up 

• Evaluation completion

• Presentation of certificates