100 Mile House's friendly, social & entertaining online news source!

You’re Not Alone, so Double Your Chances, Quit Together! 

January means resolutions, and one of the most popular each year is quitting smoking. Michelle Brooks had tried to quit smoking several times, but always ended up picking up the habit again. It was tough enough to quit for herself, but when her mother’s emphysema worsened, Michelle knew she had to quit for her mom. 

“My mom has emphysema, and I didn’t want her to smoke. I knew if I had one (cigarette) then she would, too. And she knew that if she smoked, so would I. We couldn’t do it for ourselves, so we did it for each other,” says a smiling Michelle Brooks of Kamloops. 

Like many smokers, Michelle started as a teenager. She smoked on and off into her thirties. She quit several times, and then started having a few occasional puffs, which would lead back to full- time smoking. When she decided to kick the habit for good, Michelle used Champix, a medication that decreases your desire to smoke. She set a date a couple of weeks away, and while taking Champix, weaned herself off cigarettes. 

“I was so relieved when the day arrived that I didn’t smoke a single cigarette”, says Michelle. “I was definitely ready, and I noticed health benefits right away--no more coughing or sore throat. I used to get winter colds, but haven’t had any this year!”  

Michelle’s mom has also noticed big changes. She uses less medication, her blood pressure has dropped, and she hasn’t been in the hospital for her emphysema since quitting. 

Michelle has advice for those looking to kick the habit this year. “For me, the social part of smoking was the hardest to break. Mom and I would be doing something together and then we would take a break and have a smoke. Now we have a cup of tea. It’s important to replace your cigarette time with something healthier to avoid the craving.” 

She also advises quitting with someone else as one of the best ways to kick the habit. “The support we gave each other made such a difference.” But Michelle’s most important piece of advice is to never start in the first place. 

January 17 to 23 is National Non-Smoking Week in Canada. This year, the theme is Double Your Chances –Quit Together. Quitting with another person can offer the support you need to quit for good. 

Quitting smoking is good for your health, and the health of those around you. If you need help quitting, follow Michelle’s advice and find a friend, neighbour, co-worker or family member to quit with. There are free resources to help you become smoke-free. Talk to someone today - call QuitNow toll-free at 1-877-455-2233 or visit www.quitnow.ca.