Good Afternoon Everyone!!

The Great American Smoke Out is TODAY!!!

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, smokers across the nation take part in the American Cancer Society Great American Smoke Out event. By quitting – even for 1 day – smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their cancer risk. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a smoker, your body will start to recover just minutes after your last cigarette!! Check it out:

Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time

It’s never too late to quit using tobacco. The sooner you quit, the more you can reduce your chances of getting cancer and other diseases.
• Within minutes of smoking your last cigarette, your body begins to recover:
• 20 minutes after quitting
o Your heart rate and blood pressure drop (Mahmud A, Feely J. Effect of smoking on arterial stiffness and pulse pressure amplification. Hypertension. 2003;41(1):183-187.)
• 12 hours after quitting
o The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1988, p. 202)
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting
o Your circulation improves and your lung function increases (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, pp. 193, 194, 196, 285, 323)
• 1 to 9 months after quitting
o Coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs (called cilia) start to regain normal function in your lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection (US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)
• 1 year after quitting
o The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of someone who still smokes. Your heart attack risk drops dramatically (US Surgeon General’s Report, 2010, p. 359)
• 5 years after quitting
o Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder is cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Your stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2 to 5 years (US Surgeon General’s Report, 2010 and World Health Organization. Tobacco Control: Reversal of Risk After Quitting Smoking. IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention, Vol. 11. 2007, p. 341.)
• 10 years after quitting
o Your risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. Your risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas decreases (US Surgeon General’s Report, 2010 and US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, pp. vi, 155, 165)
• 15 years after quitting
o Your risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s (World Health Organization. Tobacco Control: Reversal of Risk After Quitting Smoking. IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention, Vol. 11. 2007, p. 11.)
These are just a few of the benefits of quitting smoking for good. Quitting smoking lowers your risk of diabetes, lets blood vessels work better, and helps your heart and lungs.

Life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than that of non-smokers. Quitting smoking before the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related disease by about 90%.

Quitting while you’re younger will reduce your health risks more, but quitting at any age can give back years of life that would be lost by continuing to smoke.

Is today the day for you??

If it is, CONGRATULATIONS on making a very hard and important decision. We realize it can be very daunting when you make the decision to quit using tobacco and want to remind you of the resources available to you:

McKinley Provides:

Find a cessation program that works for you and McKinley will reimburse you up to $300 per year! That’s right, McKinley will pay for one smoking cessation program of your choice per year to help you kick the habit. In addition to traditional cessation programs, this benefit even includes non-traditional methods such as hypnosis and acupuncture.

This is how the program works:
• You must be tobacco free for 3 months to be eligible
• Submit your receipts to your manager for approval
• Done!

If you elected your benefits with McKinley this year, Cigna Provides:
One on One Coaching!
You and your personal health coach will design a plan of action and develop coping responses sure to help you quit. This program is available to Cigna customers only.

Medications:
Did you know that there are medications that can help you quit smoking? McKinley’s prescription drug plan through Cigna covers several of these anti-smoking medications – many at no cost to you. Check with your doctor to see if this method might work for you!

Whether you have been a smoker for 5 years or 25+ years, your body will start to experience the benefits of being smoke free within 20min of your last cigarette! Every hour you go without a cigarette your body continues to heal!
Cigna – 1-800-244-6224

Quit Smoking Aps:
• My Last Cigarette
• Livestrong MyQuit Coach
• Quit it Lite
• Quit Smoking: Cessation Nation
• Craving to Quit
• Quit Smoking – Quit Now

Have a great day!!