Don’t Quit Smoking Today*.
Pivot First, Quit When You're Ready.
Written by: Pivot
That’s right. Don’t quit smoking today*.
But today is the Great American Smokeout! Isn’t quitting today the whole point? Well, not exactly. Understanding why is really important for you and/or the people who smoke in your life. So, read on...
The American Cancer Society has been running the Great American Smokeout (GASO) for over 40 years. GASO began as a campaign to encourage people who smoke to quit for one day, cold turkey. It was a great way to remind people of the risks of smoking and the benefits of quitting. But GASO—and our understanding of effective ways to quit smoking—have evolved since the 1970s.
Two things we’ve come to understand is that cold turkey almost never works, and quitting isn’t a one-day thing, regardless of what you’ve heard. Next time someone tells you that they quit cold turkey, ask them how many times they tried to quit before it stuck. All those “failed” attempts were part of the process. They didn’t quit cold turkey; they made multiple tries until it all came together, and they quit. You’re more likely to have a successful quit when you recognize that quitting smoking is a journey—one that involves planning, skill building, and, most importantly, finding your own reasons to quit. True change isn’t about meeting someone else’s expectations for you on a day you didn’t choose. Maybe today, November 18, isn’t your day to quit (Of course, if you decide that today is your day to quit, go for it!). But it could be the day you start exploring your own motivations around smoking and deciding if, when, and why you might want to quit. Upon reflection, you may find that you’re ready to set a quit date and start planning for it. Or you may decide that now isn’t the time. Either way, you’ll be more aware of when and why you smoke and why you might want to quit someday—on GASO or whatever day you choose.
Support for quitting smoking
In order to support our members in reducing and ultimately quitting smoking, Pivot is available at no cost to a limited number of participants. To sign up call the Lifestyle Medicine Center 432-221-5433 or visit pivot.co/lmc and use access code lmc.
Pivot is conveniently offered through your smartphone and is the only program that provides every participant who smokes cigarettes with an FDA-cleared breath sensor that is clinically proven to increase motivation and to help you quit. Pivot also includes a mobile app, four-week supply of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)*, an online community, and access to text-based behavioral support provided by health coaches specially trained in tobacco cessation.
*Pivot is a flexible program designed to address all forms of tobacco use including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes and other vaping devices.