Nicotine Addiction
All references to tobacco use are about the use of commercial tobacco products–not the sacred and traditional use of tobacco for ceremonial or medicinal purposes
Reasons to Quit
It’s never too late to start living tobacco-free.
Quitting tobacco improves your overall health and has immediate benefits. Give it a try and see what you’ve been missing.
Reasons to Quit
It’s never too late to start living tobacco-free.
Quitting tobacco improves your overall health and has immediate benefits. Give it a try and see what you’ve been missing.
What happens when you quit?
Tobacco products are highly addictive and using them becomes more than just a habit, it becomes a physical need for nicotine. When you quit using tobacco your brain and body experience nicotine withdrawal, which looks different for different people, but can include headaches, sadness, and irritability. The important thing to remember is that it’s temporary. Withdrawal WILL end and your tobacco-free life will begin. And if your addiction gets the best of you, remember that it can take many tries before you quit for keeps. So don't give up, every try counts.
Get Inspired
When you’ve made the decision to quit using tobacco, identifying your reasons WHY and reminding yourself of them frequently can help you stay on track. Need suggestions to get started? each box to explore some reasons for quitting.
Protect the Ones You Love
Secondhand smoke puts everyone around you at risk. Secondhand smoke causes lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke among non-smokers, as well as many health problems for infants and children. It can even cause cancer in household pets who share your air. Pregnant women who smoke risk complications like low birth weight, placental abruption, pre-eclampsia, and the need for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) services. It’s a win-win for everyone when you quit for keeps.
Live Healthy
The health benefits of quitting start immediately and just get better over time. Vaping and smoking cause lung damage and can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to respiratory infections like the flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, and COVID-19. Using smokeless tobacco products can cause tooth and gum diseases, as well as various mouth and throat cancers. When you quit, your heart rate returns to normal, you breathe easier, your cough clears up, and you have more energy to do the things you love.
Health Improvements Over Time
It’s never too late to quit. In addition to the immediate benefits of decreased heart rate and your nicotine level dropping to zero, your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer decreases over time. The longer you stay quit, the greater the benefit. Add years to your life and spend it doing things that make you happy and healthy.
Save Money
Let’s face it, smoking is expensive. Find out how much you spend on cigarettes in each week, month, and year.
On average, how many packs of cigarettes do you smoke per day?
$21 a week, $91 a month $1088 spent every year
Note: Price calculations are based on cost of $5.96 per pack of cigarettes purchased in South Carolina, 2021. Source