TennCare to help pregnant moms quit smoking

Many pregnant women who smoke aren't able to do what Tabitha Carter did: quit.
But doctors wish they would, to prevent health problems such as poor oxygen levels, asthma, low birth weight and miscarriage.
Nearly 20 percent of mothers in Tennessee admit they smoked during the last three months of pregnancy, state health data show.
Statewide, more than 22 percent of residents use tobacco, which puts Tennessee in the top five for states with the highest smoking rates.
Health officials want to put out the smoke of pregnant women's cigarettes, and they will start by offering more services to those women enrolled in TennCare, the state's health insurance program. More than one-third of pregnant smokers are on TennCare.
Any women whom doctors can reach with stop-smoking services will help, particularly in Tennessee, which spends less than any other state on anti-smoking programs.
"More than half the pregnant patients I see are smokers, and a lot are on a pack a day," said Dr. John Wilters, chief of staff at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. "We have not had great resources. You can hand them literature, but a lot of times it doesn't do anything. They also have to want to quit, and many don't."
TennCare will begin paying for services to help pregnant women quit smoking on Oct. 1, as the federal government has mandated all Medicaid programs to do, said Kelly Gunderson, TennCare spokeswoman...........

The American Cancer Society is marking the 35th Great American Smokeout on November 18 by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing cancer risk. Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done. To have the best chance of quitting successfully, you need to know what you're up against, what your options are, and where to go for help.

Great American Smokeout

I started smoking at 11, and probably started smoking regularly at 13. Not a heavy smoker, I have to say I enjoyed every one i smoked every day for 20 odd years and never wanted to quit despite knowing the heath risks.
In a recent fit of depression coupled with a hint of agraphobia I found myself housebound and running out of tobacco. I knew there was a chance the depression may overpower the craving for nicotine and decided to put it to the test.
After smoking and resmoking every strand of tobacco left in the house from every single discarded butt over several days. I was finaly left feeling really quite ashamed and dirty, looking at the pile of empty butts infront of me, and my fingers and nails caked in ash from rooting through the ashtrays. The last cigarettes I smoked were really disgusting, having been recycled over and over again to the point that they were more ash than tobacco. This all beat the craving down significantly.
So I awoke the next day still wanting a cigarette however the prospect of leaving the house to fetch tobacco was about as appealling as making a cigarette from the ash in ashtray. So i resigned to the fact that my only option was to not smoke. I drank (alot) more coffee and eat more comfort food and day by day the craving got weaker and weaker.
It's been a couple of months now, and I can say that I don't want to smoke, without deluding myself. I wouldn't say that I have given up smoking. To say that brings up memories of smoking (to have given up smoking you must have smoked.) I am more comfortable saying that I am not smoking now. I also find it more empowering, the now is something tangible I can affect but the past isn't. The now is also a short frame of time which doesn't include the future. To say or even hint at not smoking in the future gives rise to expectation, expectation means pressure, and the last thing a smoker needs is more pressure. Now. Now is good. I am not smoking now.
The problem with smoking is it is coupled with breathing. Breathing in itself is pleasurable and really quite a necesary thing to do. Every breath I take can reinforce the memory of the pleasure of smoking, the craving is gone, the need to smoke is gone, but the memory is never far away. If I were around another smoker 24/7 it wouldn't take long for me to start smoking again.
Writing this has been torture, keeping the memory in my mind for an extened length of time. With each intake of breath comes the thought of inhaling smoke. A spike of adrenaline, a rush in the blood, and just as it seems the unbearble craving will return to defeat me, comes my victory. With each exhalation comes the natural relief just from breathing, what I really miss from smoking I can have without it. Yes, in each breath the demon can rise, but only ever to his ultimate defeat.


If you are a smoker of many years and want to stop smoking I wish you all the best and offer this advice, be prepared. It is not to be attempted lightly. The physical craving/dependency does not last for very long, however if you are a heavy smoker I recommend gradually (and dilligently) reducing the number you smoke each day before stopping outright. This will reduce the shock of stopping and get you in the mindset for stopping. Do not use nicotine supplements they can only prolong your addiction.
Be prepared to miss smoking, and gain some weight. Caffine is an excellent substitute for nicotine so have a cup of coffee instead of a cigarette. While not a perfect solution it is preferable to just eating for comfort. The real battle is the emotional addiction, which is longer and harder than the physical. Do not associate with smokers, do everything you can to keep smoking out of your mind. The real trick is thinking in parallel, when you are missing smoking, thinking how much you want a cigarette, remember what a big deal not smoking is, how hard it is, and how totally awesome you must be for not doing it, well done, congratulations to you.

Many of us have lost a family member because of smoking


We have a lost a few days ago one of our dearest members, Dave Bell ( see his above posts ) , also you can visit Caring and Sharing





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Women's rising status linked to more smoking

Millions of women in developing countries risk disease and early death in the coming decades as their rising economic and political status leads them to smoke more, researchers said.

Wish who read this thread would stop smoking once and for all, we have lost so so many beloved one also members from this Community ....!!

Speak out , we are all interested to hear about your experiences