Quit for good health
The Quit campaign is about to launch a new promotion highlighting the fact that increased tobacco taxes make it a good time to quit.
Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie says the campaign will begin just before Christmas, ready for those who are planning to make smoking cessation their New Year's Resolution for 2014.
Ms Sharkie says that a combination of plain packaging, graphic health warnings and price hikes are influencing more smokers than before to stop thinking about giving up the habit, and taking action.
'The majority of calls we get from the Quitline now are smokers saying they got the number from the pack,' she says. 'That's changed dramatically.
'Our analysis shows that people are definitely moving towards quitting, rather than thinking about it. Plain packaging, advice and New Year will really get them to seek support, which will be pharmacists, GPs and Quitline.'
She says that giving up smoking at New Year can pose its challenges, particularly for those who still consider smoking to be a social activity, but there are certain strategies pharmacists can pass on, such as preparing for these occasions, or planning a quit during the peak social season and implementing it afterwards.
'People will say, "I was fine until I went to the pub," or "I can't have a coffee without a smoke". Now it's not like the pub or coffee will go away, so we need to get quitters to prepare for that moment.
'If they always have a cigarette with coffee, what are they going to do differently? It doesn't mean they should give up coffee, but they can have a coffee inside where they can't smoke, have coffee with someone different who doesn't smoke - think about what you can do differently.
'Another point is that cravings only last two or three minutes. If you can get through that, you're okay. It's not like a craving lasts half an hour - so say things like "Not right now, maybe later". It's about planning around the trigger.
'And if somebody is going to have a tough time quitting at New Year, we tell them not to make it tougher on themselves. Maybe wait till they're back at work, in the post-holiday routine, and they might be more successful at that time.
'Then again, it's different for everyone: for a lot of people, smoking is a stress reliever, and often when you're on holiday you're not stressed, so January could be easier! It's about what's right for you.'
Ms Sharkie says research is emerging that the majority of smokers are now using support to quit: medical support, pharmacotherapy, behavioural counselling and support.
'Pharmacists can be very important in helping people understand Nicotine Replacement Therapy, for example. A lot of people don't know how to use it.
'But very typically with these medicines, people rarely take the whole course. They'll say, "I'm fine now,' and that's the same whether they're using patches, or Champix, or another quitting medicine. So pharmacists can give a lot of advice around that, too.'
More information: www.quit.org.au
If you want some help or support or just some common sense tips to help you on your first steps to a healthier lifestyle, come in and ask our well trained Pharmacists for some non judgement advice.
Reproduced from the AJP on Friday 6/12/13
