5 Tips to Quit Smoking in 2021 – Consumer Health News

FRIDAY, Jan.1, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Many smokers make a New Year’s resolution to quit, so the American Lung Association offers tips to improve their chances of success.

Smoking is a serious risk factor for COVID-19, so quitting is more important than ever, the association noted.

But keep in mind: switching to e-cigarettes is not quitting smoking, the pulmonary association emphasized. E-cigarettes are tobacco products that contain nicotine, and the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved any e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.

Learn from past experience. Most smokers have tried to quit before and may become discouraged when they recall previous failed attempts. Instead, look at what helped you during previous attempts and what you will do differently this time, the association advised in a press release.

And remember, you don’t have to tackle quitting alone. Enrolling in a tobacco counseling program, like the American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking, can improve your chances of success by up to 60% when used in combination with medications, according to the pulmonary association.

Talk to a doctor about FDA-approved drugs to help you quit smoking. Be sure to follow the directions and use them for the entire time prescribed.

Every smoker can quit smoking. Find the right combination of techniques for you and don’t give up, urged the association. Slip-ups, like taking a drag or smoking a few cigarettes, are common, but they don’t spell failure. The important thing is to keep trying.

“The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for people, when ready, to find the proven support to quit smoking they need,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the association.

“Quitting smoking will immediately improve your health and could also lower your chances of serious illness from COVID-19,” he added. “It’s the perfect way to prepare for a healthy new year and healthy years ahead.”

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