Health Department Offering QuitSmart® Classes (Health Event)

March 1, 2010  |   Posted in Blog, Chronic Illness   |   0 Comments   Tags: QuitSmart, smoking, smoking cessation

The Guilford County Department of Public Health is offering the QuitSmart® smoking cessation class series in both Greensboro and High Point in March.  The series consists of one class per week for four weeks.  Each class lasts 90 minutes and there is no cost to the participants for the session or materials.  These classes are open to any Guilford County adult resident.  Class size is limited to 12 participants.

In High Point, the March evening series begins March 3 and ends March 24, and will meet each Wednesday.  The sessions will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 7:00 p.m. The daytime series begins March 4 through March 25, and will meet each Thursday. Both series will be held at the 501 East Green Drive location.  For more information or to register, please contact Cindy Simpson at 845-7654.

In Greensboro, the March evening series will begin on March 3 and ends March 24, and will meet each Wednesday.  Classes will be held from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. at the 1100 East Wendover Avenue location.  For more information or to register, please contact Kim Herzing at 420-0933 or Catherine Richardson at 641-4718.

The QuitSmart® classes are being funded by the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. QuitSmart® utilizes evidenced-based techniques (cognitive behavioral strategies, brand-fading, self-hypnosis compact disc, patented cigarette substitute) that have proven to be more effective than other stop-smoking programs.  In a study at five U.S. Air Force bases, sixty-six percent of Quit Smart participants were still smoke free six months after quitting, compared to 16-30% in other stop smoking programs (source:  Shipley, et al.,).

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of death in our state and in our nation.  It creates health risks for smokers as well as those around them.  There is no known safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.  For women, smoking creates some unique health risks.  For example, women over age 35 who smoke and use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs.   Smoking is a risk factor for having a low birth-weight baby and low birth-weight babies are more likely to die or to have learning and physical problems.

Individuals interested in quitting can also receive free expert support by using QuitLineNC.  For more information or to talk with a Quit Coach, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)