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It's Time For Your To Quit?
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Tobacco Use Survey
Tobacco
Dependency Scale
On
scene - fighting the fire
Staying
Tobacco Free
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This manual is designed to help you quit smoking or
chewing tobacco. You’ve probably thought about quitting and maybe even tried to quit
one or more times. It’s not an easy habit to break. Studies have shown that most
tobacco users know the dangers of their habit and yet are unmotivated or unable to quit.
The fact is that the most important factor in your success is your desire and motivation
to quit. If you want to quit, then this manual can help. There is no magic formula. The
steps in this manual have been compiled from several very successful programs. They have
helped
people of all ages and all walks of
life, just like you, who used tobacco and wanted to quit. The process of quitting is just
like fighting a fire. It requires several steps, each one building on the one before.
First you will preplan the problem. This will involve examining the reasons you want to
quit and your pattern of using tobacco. Next, you will develop a plan of attack; a plan to
help you fight the fire and quit this devastating habit. Then you will methodically carry
out your plan, anticipating difficult battles but having faith that you will be
successful. Finally, you will return to quarters and brag about how you battled the big
one and won. The only difference is that during this bragging session you will not want or
need a dip or a cigarette. You will critique your successful efforts and plan for a
tobacco free future. One last thing. On the fire ground safety doesn’t just happen,
it’s a choice to behave a certain way. Quitting tobacco is the same. Attempting to
quit is one thing, but staying tobacco free is a choice to behave a certain way. It’s
a choice to "be" a nonsmoker or a non-chewer. It requires you to not only change
your behaviors but also to change the way you see yourself. Use this guide to help you
break your tobacco habit now and for the future. Read the entire manual first, and you
will begin to get a good idea of the choices you’ll have. Most importantly remember
that just like fighting fire, you will not be alone. We will be here to help and support
you.
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Preplanning
Why quit? Here are just a few good
reasons:
#1
Your Health
Tobacco contains about 4,000 chemicals. Many are poison
and more than 40 of them are known carcinogens. Your chances of
getting cancer are 10
times greater than a non-tobacco user. In fact, research has shown that up to 78% of all
smokeless tobacco
users currently have pre cancerous cells in their mouths. Tobacco users
are twice as likely to have a heart attack.
#2
Money for Nothing
Tobacco use is very costly. If you use just 3 tins of
smokeless tobacco or 5 packs of cigarettes a week you spend over $460 a year
on this
deadly habit.
At $2.50 per pack
| Packs per day |
Daily Cost |
Weekly Cost |
Monthly Cost |
Yearly Cost |
| 1 |
$2.50 |
$17.50 |
$70.00 |
$840.00 |
| 2 |
$5.00 |
$35.00 |
$140.00 |
$1,680.00 |
| 3 |
$7.50 |
$52.50 |
$210.00 |
$2,520.00 |
At $3.25 per can
| Cans per day |
Daily Cost |
Weekly Cost |
Monthly Cost |
Yearly Cost |
| 1 |
$3.25 |
$22.75 |
$91.00 |
$1,092.00 |
| 2 |
$6.50 |
$45.50 |
$182.00 |
$2,184.00 |
| 3 |
$9.75 |
$68.25 |
$273.00 |
$3,276.00 |
#3
Loss of Control
Tobacco use is an addictive habit that controls your
life, ruins your health, and leads to a premature painful death.
#4
The Kids
Fire fighters are role models
for kids. We go to schools and community events and teach
life safety habits. What a
contradiction it is
when they see us practice such deadly habits. They think if we smoke
or dip it must be cool.
What’s
YOUR Reason?
Pick Your Own
Place a check next to each reason that is a key argument for you.
___
Personal appearance (i.e. smoker’s breath, stained
teeth, smoking odor on clothes,
tobacco spit in trash
cans, half of face, etc.)
___
Financial reasons
___
Health risks (i.e. heart disease, cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis,
sores in mouth, ulcers, etc.)
___
Personal satisfaction (i.e. gaining control of your life,
freeing yourself of harmful addictions,achieving a
substantial goal, etc.)
___
Role model for children (i.e. positive role model for your children, want
to see your children grow up, positive role
model as fire
fighter for community, etc.)
___
Healthy environment for those around you (i.e. second hand smoke, unborn
children, etc.)
___
Avoiding upsetting others (i.e. spouse, children, coworkers, etc.)
Other (list all of the additional reasons you
want to quit)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
List your most important reason for quitting.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
#5
Probably one
of the most important factors in the success of any program is the person’s readiness
to quit. If you have failed to
quit or stay tobacco free, it is likely that certain key
factors have not come together for you - you weren’t ready to quit. Perhaps others
urged you to quit but you weren’t really motivated yet. For some people, the
"right" way is just simply to quit. Still others will need a l
ot of support and
a detailed method to follow.
If you have tried to quit before but were
unsuccessful don’t feel like a loser. Studies have shown that most people require
more than
one attempt to be successful. In fact, the person that is willing to try again
is usually very serious and sincerely motivated. If this is
your first time the trick is
learning to manage this difficult problem. A major failing of many programs is their lack
of focus on techniques
and ways of staying tobacco free. They usually neglect such aspects
as learning to manage stress, developing a new self-concept,
and practicing nonsmoking or non-chewing behaviors.
In order to identify the areas that you will need the most help
with, answer the following questions.
1. Have you attempted to quit using tobacco before? If yes, what methods or programs have
you tried (include "quitting on own")?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. In each case, what caused you to return to smoking or chewing? Note the
particular person, place, event, or situation
that was involved?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Read the following statements and indicate the degree to which you "agree" or
"disagree" with each one.
AGREE
DISAGREE
A. I have the ability to quit
using tobacco permanently.
1
2
3
4
5
B. Staying quit permanently is
a task I can handle.
1 2
3
4
5
C. If only I put out more effort
this time, I can quit tobacco
permanently.
1 2
3
4
5
D. Luck isn’t as important for
success as the effort I put
out to learn to be permanently
tobacco free.
1 2
3
4
5
4. What problem situations do you
anticipate as you become tobacco free this time?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What can you do to counter
these potential problems?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Even if you have not tried quitting before, if you are dubious
about your ability to succeed, your chances of actually succeeding will be
lower. So
confidence is important; so is maximum effort. Question 3 above gives you an indication of
your confidence by adding the total
scores for all four statements. If your score is 9 or
more you may need to work on your outlook. The combination of believing in yourself
and
doing your very best is very powerful, and will give you excellent odds of becoming a
permanent non-tobacco user.
The final step during this preplanning process is to pick a date
to quit. Choose a date within the next 2 weeks. Don’t delay or put it off.
Don’t
make excuses or postpone your quit date. Choose a day that is less stressful. If being at
the fire station makes you want to chew
or smoke then choose a date on your first day off.
Avoid situations where you will want tobacco the most.
Realize that there is no perfect time to quit. You can’t
avoid all temptations or stressors. So make the decision and let everyone know
the date
you have picked. Let them know you are a winner and you are taking charge of your life.
Responding to the Big One
Assessing your use
and addiction level
Knowing your patterns of using tobacco, and your addiction level,
will help you develop a successful strategy for quitting for good.
Below are a few keys to
understanding the fire you are responding to, the one you will extinguish.
Use of Smokeless
If you use chew daily, have friends who use chew, and have used
smokeless for years, then chew or snuff is a big part of your life.
You may want to avoid
your friends who chew or dip for the first few days when you quit.
Smoking
If you smoke cigarettes, especially when you quit dipping or
chewing, it will be more difficult for you to quit. Stop the use of all tobacco.
Don’t smoke cigarettes when quitting chew or chew when quitting cigarettes.
Previous Quit Efforts
If you have previously tried to quit, your chances of success are
good. By trying to previously quit, you have shown how much you want to
quit. Many people
do not quit the first time they try, but succeed with later attempts.
Use of Alcohol
If you drink alcohol often (4 to 7 times a week), or drink 5 or
more drinks at a time when you drink, you may have a harder time quitting
your tobacco
habit. People who drink often smoke or chew more often when they drink alcohol. Try to cut
down or quit using alcohol
while you quit tobacco.
Please take the following surveys. This information will be very
useful in your preplan of the structure you about to encounter.
Adapted from Enough Snuff - A Guide for Quitting
Smokeless Tobacco. by Herbert H. Severson, PhD., Oregon Research Institute.
Rainbow
Productions, 1993.
Tobacco Use Survey
Complete this survey to help determine your pattern of use.
Use of Smokeless
1. What form of smokeless do you use?
snuff chew
plug
twist
other
2. What brand of tobacco do you use? __________________________
3. How many years have you regularly dipped/chewed tobacco?
______
4. Do you use smokeless tobacco every day?
yes no
5. How long have you used smokeless daily? _______years. ____mo.
6. How many days does a tin/can last you?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
7. On average, how many dips/chews do you take each day?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
or more
8. How many of your five best friends use smokeless tobacco?
none
1
2
3
4
5
Smoking
9. Have you ever smoked tobacco regularly?
yes
no
If yes, what did you smoke?
cigarettes
cigars
pipe
10. Do you currently smoke tobacco?
yes
no
If yes, how much do you smoke(# cigarettes /day)? _________
11. Did you ever smoke while trying to quit dipping or chewing?
yes
no
Quitting
12. How many times have you made a serious attempt to quit using
tobacco in the last 12 months?
none
2
3-4
5 or more
13. How long has it been since your last attempt to quit using
tobacco? _________ mo.
14. Are you currently experiencing any health problems you can
trace to your use of tobacco
(sores in
mouth, bleeding,
receding gums, cough,
wheezing, shortness of breath,
chest pain, etc.)
Alcohol
15. In an average week, how many drinks of alcohol do you have?
none 1-5
6-10
11-15
> 15
16. In the past month, how many times did you have 5 or more
drinks on a single occasion?
none once twice
3-4
5-10
Tobacco Dependence Scale
Instructions: Circle your response to each question and total the
points to obtain your score.
1. How many tins/pouches of smokeless tobacco do
you typically use each week?
0.
less
than 1 each week
1. 2-4
each week
2.
5 or
more each week ______
2. How often do you use smokeless tobacco?
0.
1
day each week or less
1.
2-5
days each week
2.
6-7
days each week ______
3. Do you intentionally swallow tobacco juices?
0.
no
1.
yes
______
4. Do you use smokeless tobacco when you are
sick or have mouth sores?
0.
no
1.
yes
______
5. How soon after awakening from your normal
sleeping period, do you use chewing tobacco
or snuff?
0.
after
60 minutes of waking
1.
after
30 minutes of waking
2. within
30 minutes of waking ______
6. Do you smoke cigarettes?
0.
no
1.
yes
______
7. Is it difficult for you not to use smokeless
tobacco where its use is restricted or not allowed?
0. no
1.
yes
______
(Range of scores is 0 - 10) Total Score ______
The "Smokeless Tobacco Dependence Scale" gives
you a measure of how addicted you are to smokeless tobacco or snuff.
Below is a scoring
chart to help you determine just how big that fire is that you are responding to.
Scoring
7 or More
If you have a score of 7 or more, you are highly
addicted and dependent on smokeless
tobacco. If you scored a
10 you are responding to a multi-alarm fire, so be ready for a
battle.
5 or 6
If your
score was 5 or 6, you are moderately addicted to chew or snuff. This would be a
1st alarm.
4 or Less
If
you scored 4 or less, you are slightly addicted. This would be a simple 2 and 1 - no
problem!
If you scored 7 or more points, consider using a nicotine
reduction product. When battling a multiple alarm fire you are bound to
need big water
(master streams). Nicotine gum or skin patches may be just the ladder pipe you need.
Social Support
On the fire ground we operate in pairs -the buddy system. It
provides us with a built in support system that improves our
chances of survival and
success. Quitting tobacco is no different.
Having social support when learning to be a nonsmoker or
non-chewer not only allows quitters to learn from each other, but also
provides mutual
support and encouragement. Quitting is never easy. Having someone to pick us up when we
lose confidence in our
ability to quit can be critical. Pick a close friend, significant
other, fellow quitter, or co-worker to support you when you hit these difficult times.
Onscene
Fighting
the Fire
Plan of Attack
1. Pick a Quit Date - Where will I make my stop!
2. Gear up for that Day - Getting the troops in place!
3. Choose an Attack - Cold Turkey or Nicotine Reduction!
4. Stick to the Basics - Survival Skills!
5. Sticking to the Plan - Managing the Urges!
This Chapter will discuss each of these steps in detail. If your
gear is on and your breathing air (SCBA), let’s get it on.
Picking a Quit Date
The first step is to pick a quit date. Even if you think
you’re ready to quit now, we suggest that you take at least a week to get
ready. This
gives you time to:
- get psyched up for quitting
- cut back before you quit by tapering down, avoiding a
few of the difficult times and places, or switching to a lower nicotine brand
- set up your support system
There is no "ideal" time to quit, but some times are
better than others. Low-stress times are best - like your first day off work, or at the
beginning of a vacation. Everyone has their own quit time - what’s yours?
______________________.
Gearing up for
that Day
Start cutting back before your quit day arrives. Cutting back can
make quitting easier, especially if you decide to quit cold turkey. There
are numerous
ways to cut back. Here are a few. You can try any or all of them or design your own.
- 1 Taper down. Cut back to half your usual amount before you quit.
Alternate your usual dip with a substitute dip (mint or herbal
snuff). Dilute your usual
dip with a substitute. Limit yourself to a fixed number of dips or cigarettes for every
hour and gradually
decrease this number.
- 2 Cut back on when and where you use tobacco. From your tobacco
use survey, avoid using tobacco the times and places that you
like to dip or smoke the
most. Pick your three strongest triggers (i.e. after meals, after fires, while drinking,
etc.) and use a substitute
or nothing at all during those times.
- 3 Switch to a lower nicotine product. Certain tobacco products
have more nicotine than others. By switching to a lower nicotine product
you can avoid the
strong withdrawals.
Finally, right before your quit day let friends, family and
co-workers know that tomorrow you are quitting. Warn them that you may not be your
usual
wonderful self for a week or two while you are in the heat of the battle. Ask them if
they’ll be on hand to listen and encourage you when
the going gets rough. Suggest
ways they can help, like joining you for a run or a walk, helping you find ways to keep
busy, telling you they
know you can do it. If they’ve quit, ask them for tips.
The Night Before Checklist
1 Get rid of all tobacco
2 Stock up on substitutes
3 Contact your support
4 Picture yourself as a successful quitter of the deadliest habit you could ever have
Choose an Attack
Your decision on which attack you will use is a personal one.
Some people have the type of personality where they are more successful when
they just
attack something and go 100%. This personality type does well with the direct attack, cold
turkey. Still other people are more calculated
and analytical and may be more successful
in an indirect attack, nicotine reduction. Sometimes the level of your addiction may
indicate that one
of these methods is better suited for you.
Cold Turkey
Most users prefer to quit by abruptly and totally stopping their
use of tobacco. Kind of a direct attack right on the seat of the fire. In this method
you
plan for a quit date, get ready by preparing yourself, and on the quit date, you quit all
smokeless use.
Nicotine Reduction
The second approach is nicotine reduction. This is more like an
indirect attack. In this method, you gradually reduce the amount of nicotine
you’re
exposed to and gradually reduce your dependence on tobacco. Some people find this planned
gradual decrease is easier because it
reduces withdrawal symptoms.
Stick to the Basics
Remember that your first week off tobacco and coping with
withdrawal is the hardest. Every minute you are tobacco free becomes an hour
you are
tobacco free. Every hour adds up to a tobacco free day. Every day adds up to a tobacco
free week. Every week adds up to a tobacco
free month. And before you know it you own your
behavior and your health again. The key is getting through the tough times!
1.
Deep
Breathing
- Take four slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out
through your mouth. Great for
high-pressure situations.
2. Doing Something Else
- Reach
for gum, seeds, or non-tobacco mint or herbal smokeless substitutes; take a quick walk; leave the scene
of the urge.
3. Drink Lots of Water
- Up to 8
glasses of fresh water a day will help your body rid itself of nicotine and repair your taste buds. Ice chips
can be great too.
4. Eat Healthy
- You
will crave food during your withdrawal period. Choosing the wrong foods (high fat, high sugar) can lead to a decreased
immune
system, increased cravings, and an unhealthy weight gain. Eat lots of fruits and
vegetables as well as other high fiber foods.
5.
Exercise
-
Developing healthy habits is the only way to change your lifestyle and kick your unhealthy habits. Besides keeping you busy,
a gradual
personalized exercise program can return your lungs and heart to a healthy state. (Call
for an appointment with a peer fitness trainer).
Sticking to the Plan
Withdrawal symptoms can be very tough but happily they don’t
last long. Withdrawal is strongest the first week after you quit. The worst part
is over
after 2 weeks. By a month, you’ll feel better than when you were using tobacco. So be
patient with yourself.
The best way to deal with an urge is to avoid it if possible, and
there are several things you can do to reduce the chances of having
an urge to use tobacco
in the first place. Remember that urges are triggered by events or things that happen to
you. If you can anticipate
potential signals and find ways to handle them in advance, you
may be able to avoid the urge to smoke or chew altogether.
If drinking alcohol or coffee triggers an urge to smoke or chew
then avoid these drinks. Instead replace these triggers with a new drink
like a fruit
juice and associate it with triggering a healthy behavior. If bars trigger you to smoke or
chew then avoid bars, especially for
the first month. Instead go to the gym and associate
it with your new healthy lifestyle. The following reactions to quitting tobacco are
normal. Try some of these suggestions to help you battle the urge.
| FOR THESE REACTIONS |
TRY |
Urges to dip, cravings - especially in the places you used to dip the most |
Waiting it out (each urge lasts only 3 - 5 minutes, whether or not you dip or chew). Deep
breathing and exercise help you feel better right away. Try to do something else. Drink
water. |
Feeling irritable, tense, on edge, restless, impatient. |
Walking away from the situation. Deep breathing and exercise to blow off steam. Ask others
to be patient. |
Trouble concentrating, feeling "spacey" |
Going easy on yourself. You'll think and feel better soon. |
Constipation/irregularity |
Adding fiber to your diet (whole grain breads and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables). |
Hunger, a craving for sweets |
Drinking Gatorade or fruit juices. Reach for low-calorie sweet snacks (like apples,
sugar-free gums and candies). |
It has been said that fire fighters love their tools. One final
tool for being successful is mental imagery. What is mental imagery?..... No, it’s
not some high tech camera that can see to the future or find hot spots. It’s actually
better than that. Mental imagery is placing a picture of something
you want to achieve
into your mind and then focusing on it. As a fire fighter you probably use this all the
time when you are responding to a fire. If you
picture yourself remaining calm and
performing the necessary evolutions you will actually perform the evolutions just as you
pictured them - calm and
flawless. Successful athletes use this tool all the time. But
beware - if you picture yourself failing your body will follow that picture.
You can use this very useful tool every time you reach a tough
spot or have an urge. As a matter of fact you can be successful by using both a
positive
image and a negative image, this is how. Example: Suppose you have an urge to take a dip
or smoke a cigarette.
Negative Image:
Close your eyes and picture the cigarette falling apart in your mouth and then making you so sick you have to puke. Feel that
gut
wrenching feeling as your throat fights back that need to barf. Smell the barf.
Positive Image:
Close your eyes and picture yourself passing up a cigarette as you take a deep clean refreshing breath of clear mountain air.
Feel the crispness of the air as you take a big bite into a juicy apple. Enjoy the sweet
taste of every bite. Feel how proud you are to have made
the healthy choice.
By using these techniques you will be surprised how quickly you
can make yourself tobacco free. Remember, you are a winner!
Mop Up & Overhaul
~StayingTobaccoFree~
Just as an extinguished fire will rekindle if you are not
careful, so will your tobacco habit return if you do not learn to do some overhaul.
The
keys to overhauling your habit are:
- Anticipate difficult situations, and
- Plan ahead on how to deal with your urge to smoke or
chew.
What are the times, places, or activities that you expect to be
the most difficult for you not to smoke or chew? In the "Enough Snuff -
Guide for
Quitting Smokeless Tobacco" by Dr. H. Severson, the Four A’s (Avoid, Alter,
Alternatives, and Activities) are used to cope with
your urges to relapse.
AVOID
One way to deal with tough situations is to avoid these settings
or activities until you have gained your confidence as a non-tobacco user. Maybe
you can
avoid the bars or fishing for a week or two.
ALTER
Think of ways you can change your behavior patterns to break up
your usual habits. For example, if you want to smoke or chew every time you
drink beer then
try drinking soda or tea until you have relearned your new healthier habits.
ALTERNATIVES
When you get an urge to smoke or chew use an alternative such as
gum or mint chew. Keep hard candies, gum, or seeds with you, so you can
use them when you
need something in your mouth.
ACTIVITIES
A lot of people chew or use snuff when bored or sitting around.
Be active. When you get an urge to smoke or chew, take a walk or a bike ride,
work out on
weights, or try any other exercise activity that can take your mind off the urge to chew.
How will you live without
tobacco?
The first step is being able to visualize yourself as a non-user.
The facts are:
- Quitting is an ongoing process - You may
have slips when you feel a strong urge.
- A slip is normal - A slip does not mean
you have relapsed. A slip does not mean you are a failure. Use a slip as an opportunity to
learn
how to handle that difficult situation the next time. You will avoid it the next
time.
- The main goal is quitting tobacco totally - If you
had a slip and used tobacco, this may be a situation you want to avoid for a while or
learn
to handle differently next time.
- Even if you went back to using tobacco
again, quit again - Each time you quit, it will be easier.
- Some people who quit tobacco addictions have
to try several times - If that is you, make a new plan and quit
again - for good!
Weight Management
Many people fear to quit smoking or chewing because of the threat
of gaining weight. The bad news is that statistics show this fear to be real. The
good
news is that it isn’t necessary. There are several reasons why you may gain weight
while quitting tobacco, these include:
- During urges you may reach for food to satisfy the
oral "fix".
- You may be a sedentary person
- Your diet may be high in saturated fats.
- You may be ingesting more calories than you are
burning.
- Your mood swings may cause depression which you try
to feed away.
Here are some tips to help you avoid an unnecessary weight gain:
When you urge for an oral "fix" be
ready with a substitute such as gum, sunflower seeds, or mint chew.
- Begin an exercise program. Even something as easy as
walking can be very beneficial.
- If you have to snack, eat lower fat options such as
pretzels, popcorn, celery sticks, etc.
- Avoid excessive alcohol. Alcohol is high in calories
and causes the body to store fat.
Congratulations
"After the Big
One"
After battling the big one there is nothing fire fighters like to
do more than tell stories about how hard they worked and what odds they beat in
achieving
knock down. This is because of the extensive amount of work it takes to fight a big fire
and because of the pride fire fighters share in
the work they do. Kicking the tobacco
habit is no different. You have quit an addiction, changed a tough habit, committed
yourself to a healthier
lifestyle and gained control of your life. You have earned the
right to brag. Don’t miss the opportunity to tell everyone that you are now a former
tobacco user.
Now that you have quit, treat yourself to a reward. Buy something
nice for yourself or go out for a nice dinner. You deserve it. You are now an
ex-smoker or
ex-chewer. Keep in mind why you quit. Be aware that urges will continue for a while and
stay prepared to meet these challenges.
You did it!!!
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