Are you 100% committed to quitting smoking? Answer the following questions to be certain that your commitment is strong and to provide information that you are going to refer to later in the course. The more specific your reasons to quit smoking, and the stronger your commitment, the more likely you will be to succeed.
- Why do you want to quit smoking? List every reason you can think of (e.g. I lose my breath easily, I don’t like being harassed by non-smokers, my clothes smell). Think about the impact that smoking has upon you and also your family and friends.
- If you quit smoking, what are the benefits to you (e.g. more energy, better health)?
- If you quit smoking, what are the benefits to your family (e.g. spouse or partner, children)?
- How much money will you save each year when you quit smoking (multiply your daily cost of smoking by 365)?
- Which benefits are the most important to you?
- When you quit smoking, how can you continue to remind yourself of these important benefits so that you keep your commitment strong (e.g. keep notes with you at all times, post a reminder on your nightstand or workstation)?
Quit Smoking Resources
The following is a list of helplines and resources. New resources are continually available, and the contact information for some of these resources may change. For the most up-to-date information, do an internet search for “quit smoking programs.”
- Provincial Smokers’ Helplines
- British Columbia (1.877.455.2233)
- Yukon (1.866.221.8393)
- Nunavut (1.866.877.3845)
- Northwest Territories (1.867.920.8826)
- Alberta (1.866.332-2322 and alberta.quitnet.com)
- Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (1.877.513.5333)
- Prince Edward Island (1.888.818.6300)
- Quebec (1.866.527.7383)
- Newfoundland, Labrador (1.800.363.5864)
Resources For Youths
- Quit4Life (www.quit4life.ca) is a Health Canada program for 12 to 18 year olds.
- Smoke-FX (www.smoke-fx.com) is Ontario-based and has many useful resources to aid in quitting smoking as well as an advocacy tool kit.
- Smoking Zine (www.smokingzine.org) is a University of Toronto smoking cessation program for teens.
Other Resources
- Inventory of Canadian Tobacco Cessation Programs and Resources (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/pubs/tobac-tabac/ictcpr-rrpcrt/index-eng.php). A listing of smoking cessation programs that are available nation-wide or province-wide.
- Health Canada (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca). Health Canada has numerous resources to help smokers quit. Search the “It’s your health” section of the Health Canada site or use the A-Z index to find out about the latest programs and information they offer.
- Canadian Cancer Society (www.cancer.ca or 1.888.939.3333)
- Canadian Lung Association (www.lung.ca)
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
- (www.heartandstroke.ca)
- National Clearinghouse on Tobacco and Health
- (www.ncth.ca/NCHweb.nsf)
- Non-smoker’s right association (www.nsra-adnf.ca)
- Physicians for a smoke-free Canada (www.smoke-free.ca)
- Conseil québécois sur le tabac et la santé (www.cqts.qc.ca)
