Giving Up Smoking
An important step in managing COPD is quitting smoking. Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 harmful toxins that can irritate airways and damage lung tissue. When you quit smoking, your breathing and response to your medicines may noticeably improve. Even if you have smoked many years, you will benefit from quitting.
Don’t be discouraged if you have tried to quit – one time or many times – in the past. More services and quitting aids are now available to help you quit and remain smokefree.
Steps for successfully quitting:
- Make a firm commitment to quit and start thinking of yourself as someone who doesn’t smoke.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about quitting and a plan to help you quit. Your provider can discuss the use of quit smoking medicines and your treatment plan for COPD.
- Consider participating in a program that provides guidance and support for learning to live without cigarettes. Every state offers free telephone counseling through the Quitline. In addition, there are many online and face to face group quit smoking programs. Check for programs offered by the American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, etc..
- Once you stop smoking it is important to avoid being around tobacco smoke. This will help decrease irritation to your lungs. Also, a smoke-free environment is healthier for everyone!
- Discuss the importance of making your environment smokefree with family members and friends.
- Encourage family members and friends who smoke to quit. If they are not ready to quit, ask them not to smoke in your home or vehicle.
Quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do to help control your disease and prevent further damage to your lungs.
Learn much more about how to quit smoking .
This information has been approved by David Tinkelman, MD and Eppi Mazzei, R.N. (July 2006).
