HAWC and DGMC encourages Travis smokers to "Kick their Butts"

  • Published
  • By Jim Spellman
  • 60th MEDICAL GROUP PUBLIC AFFAIRS
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A few Team Travis members tried to kick their smoking habits Nov. 19 during the 34th annual Great American Smokeout. By doing so, these smokers will have taken an important step toward a healthier life - one that can lead to reducing cancer risk and having for more birthdays.

Research shows people who stop smoking before age 50 can cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared with those who continue to smoke. Smokers who quit also reduce their risk of lung cancer - 10 years after quitting, the lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. Some of the health effects of quitting are almost instant, too - heart rate and blood pressure drop 20 minutes after quitting.

"We know that quitting smoking is tough and that most smokers have to try several times before quitting for good," said Dr. Alan Thorson, national volunteer president for the American Cancer Society. "The American Cancer Society offers a variety of effective resources ranging from online tips and tools to personalized telephone coaching by trained specialists. We hope that smokers will use the Great American Smokeout to map out a course of action that will help them to quit and in turn to stay well and celebrate more birthdays."

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials credit anti-tobacco programs at the state and local level with improving life expectancy, but they also warned not enough money was being invested in such efforts. According to a Department of Defense survey of health-related behaviors among active-duty military personnel, it is estimated the DoD spends about $875 million per year on health care for smoking-related illnesses and lost productivity in DoD beneficiaries.

At Travis, those numbers are not lost on the staff of the Health and Wellness Center for a different and more personal financial reason.

"Did you know the average smoker spends a minimum of $4.50 a day, $135 a month, or $1,643 a year on cigarettes, cigars or tobacco products?" asked Deborah Baker, a health promotions nurse with the 60th Aerospace Squadron at the Health and Wellness Center.

"What could you do with an extra $1,643 in your pocket for a year? Perhaps go on a vacation to Hawaii for two? Make home improvements? Buy new clothes? Pay off your bills? Have money for a rainy day? There are lots of options out there," said Mrs. Baker.

The HAWC offers tobacco cessation classes free of charge monthly from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to any individual interested in kicking the habit. According to Mrs. Baker, an hour a week of your time can help you quit using tobacco products.

"By attending one of our classes on base, physicians will target your needs to quit. You will be provided medication, emotional support and other alternatives to keep you busy instead of smoking or chewing tobacco," said Mrs. Baker.

According to Mrs. Baker, a variety of "Quit Kits" and classes are provided to help rid a smoker of their habit. Among these are the very popular Chantix prescription medication used to help stop smoking by blocking a patient's nicotine receptors. Another class focuses entirely on exercise and ways not to gain weight during the process of becoming tobacco free.

The Great American Smokeout has helped to spotlight the dangers of tobacco use and the challenges of quitting nation-wide, but more importantly, it has set the stage for the cultural revolution in tobacco use that has occurred during this period. Because of individuals and groups that have led anti-tobacco efforts, there have been significant landmarks in the areas of research, policy and the environment.

"What we have been doing can be characterized as the denormalization of smoking as an acceptable behavior," explained Dr. Thorson, who pointed out an estimated 47 million adults in the United States currently smoke and approximately half will die prematurely from smoking.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and women. This year alone, there will be approximately169,500 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. More than 80 percent of lung cancers are thought to result from smoking. About 440,000 Americans die each year from diseases related to tobacco use, making smoking the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to federal statistics.

For more information, visit the Great American Smokeout Web site at www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans or call the HAWC at 424-4292 for tobacco cessation classes and coaching services that can help increase a smoker's chances of quitting for good.