Tips for a New Year: Quit-Smoking Medicines

"Using quit-smoking medicines can help you go smoke-free this year—yes, even if you’ve tried them before! And there has never been a better time to quit. A recent Surgeon General’s  found that quitting cigarettes can have big health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and several types of cancer. icon

Maybe you’ve used nicotine patches or gum in the past, or maybe you’ve tried doctor-prescribed quit-smoking pills in your quest to kick cigarettes. Maybe you’ve only thought about using quit-smoking medicines before. There are new ways to use these medicines, described below, which can further increase your chances of success.  When it comes to trying to quit smoking, the best advice is: don’t give up.

Tackle the Toughest Times

Quitting smoking can be hard, but using medicines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can help in three major ways:

1. They make quitting less painful. Medicines help you handle withdrawal symptoms, including cravings for cigarettes, trouble sleeping and concentrating, and irritability. Medicines with nicotine—called nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT—give your body enough nicotine to lessen withdrawal symptoms and control cravings. Medicines without nicotine lower your urge to smoke and also decrease withdrawal symptoms.
2. They are safe. All FDA-approved medicines are proven to be safe based on many years of research.
3. They help you get through the tough times. Quit-smoking medicines can help you get through the early days or weeks of quitting, when it’s hardest to stay motivated and when your urge to smoke is highest. Make sure to use the medicines as directed. Taking the right dose for the right amount of time is important for success..."
   Quit smoking 

Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General

"Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. Although the percentage of adults who smoke is at an all-time low in the U.S., 34 million adults still smoke and therefore continue to be at risk of developing smoking-related diseases.

This report makes it clear that one of the most important actions people can take to improve their health is to quit smoking. This is true regardless of their age or how long they’ve been smoking.

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but there are proven treatments and strategies to help people quit smoking successfully. The report outlines the latest research on these treatments including counseling (in-person and over the telephone with a quitline) and medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The report also sheds light on new and emerging opportunities to further promote and support cessation in our country.

We know more about the science of quitting than ever before. Ultimately, the report serves as a call to action to our nation—we can and must do more to ensure that proven cessation treatments are reaching the people that need them.

Full Report

Download Full Report (PDF - 10 MB)

Download Executive Summary (PDF - 305 KB)""

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Smoking cessation

Smokefree Through Generations

"The men and women who are part of CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers^® (Tips) campaign often say they wish they had never started smoking. One of the ads features a woman named Terrie, who tells viewers how much she regrets picking up that first cigarette.

The ad was filmed only three days before Terrie died in 2013. At that time, her daughter Dana was still struggling to quit smoking for good.

“Mom always told me: ‘never stop trying to quit,’” Dana said. She took that advice to heart. After her mother’s death, Dana finally quit for good, using medicines shown to help people quit smoking.

No matter your age, quitting smoking benefits your health. Nearly 7 out of 10 American adults who smoke want to quit, and so many Americans have quit over the years that there are now more people who used to smoke than people who still smoke.^.."
Smokefree

Smoking and Diabetes

"Everyone knows cigarette smoking is bad for you, but did you know it can lead to type 2 diabetes? And if you have diabetes, smoking can make it much worse. Learn how they’re connected and why quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health.

How Smoking Can Lead to Type 2 Diabetes

• Insulin helps blood sugar enter cells, but nicotine changes cells so they don’t respond to insulin, which increases blood sugar levels.
• Chemicals in cigarettes harm cells in your body and cause inflammation. This also makes cells stop responding to insulin.
• People who smoke have a higher risk of belly fat, which increases the risk for type 2 diabetes even if they aren’t overweight.

All in all, if you smoke, you’re 30% to 40% more likely to get type 2 diabetes than people who don’t smoke. The more you smoke, the higher your risk..."
Smoking and diabetes

It’s Never Too Early to Quit Smoking

"Quitting smoking can be challenging, but you can find support for your quit journey where and when you need it, to raise your chances of quitting for good.

“I’m sick of this addiction.” Clay A. left that comment on the CDC Tobacco Free Facebook page. “I quit for a year and four months and came back,” he went on to say. “Quitting is not easy.”

CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) knows that it may take a number of tries before you’re able to quit for good, but we also know that it can be done.  In fact, so many people have quit that there are now more former smokers than current smokers in the United States. Quitting can be challenging, but you can find support for your quit journey where and when you need it, to raise your chances of quitting for good. This year, make a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking for good.

“At this time of year, we know that many smokers make a resolution to quit and start off on a healthier course,” says Corinne Graffunder, DrPH, MPH, director of OSH. “If now is your time to quit tobacco, there are many tools available to help you find and follow a quit strategy that works for you.”

Whether you’ve never tried to quit or have tried many times, a new year means another chance to create your successful quit plan..."
Smoking

Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy: United States, 2016

"Key Findings:

• In 2016, 7.2% of women who gave birth smoked cigarettes during pregnancy.
• Prevalence of smoking during pregnancy was highest for women aged 20–24 (10.7%), followed by women aged 15–19 (8.5%) and 25–29 (8.2%).
• Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native women had the highest prevalence of smoking during pregnancy (16.7%); non-Hispanic Asian women had the lowest (0.6%).
• The prevalence of smoking during pregnancy was highest among women with a completed high school education (12.2%), and second-highest among women with less than a high school education (11.7%).

Maternal tobacco use during pregnancy has been linked to a host of negative infant and child outcomes, including low birthweight, preterm birth, and various birth defects (1–5). The 2003 revision of the U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth included new and modified items on maternal cigarette smoking before and during pregnancy. The 2016 natality data file is the first for which this information is available for all states and the District of Columbia (D.C.). This report presents the prevalence of cigarette smoking at any time during pregnancy among women who gave birth in 2016 in the United States by state of residence as well as maternal race and Hispanic origin, age, and educational attainment.."
Cigarette smoking and pregnancy

How to Help People with Disabilities Quit Smoking

"The percentage of adults who smoke cigarettes is higher among people with disabilities than people without disabilities. If more people with disabilities are included in smoking cessation programs, the percentage of those who smoke can be reduced.

Tobacco use continues to be the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.¹ Although progress has been made with reducing cigarette smoking among U.S. adults, declining from 1 in 5 adults in 2005 (45.1 million smokers) to 1 in 6 adults in 2015 (36.5 million),² differences in prevalence of smoking between groups of people still persist. For example, in 2014, cigarette smoking was significantly higher among those who reported having any disability (more than 1 in 5 were smokers) compared to those who reported having no disability (about 1 in 6 were smokers). In addition, similar to people without disabilities, research shows that the percentage of smokers among people with disabilities also differs by race and ethnicity. For instance, the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Natives with a disability who smoke cigarettes was almost three times as high as among Asians with a disability (41.2% versus 12.8%)...."
Disabilities and smoking

Consumption of Combustible and Smokeless Tobacco — United States, 2000–2015

"Combustible and smokeless tobacco use causes adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and multiple types of cancer (1,2). Standard approaches for measuring tobacco use include self-reported surveys of use and consumption estimates based on tobacco excise tax data (3,4). To provide the most recently available tobacco consumption estimates in the United States, CDC used federal excise tax data to estimate total and per capita consumption during 2000–2015 for combustible tobacco (cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco, small cigars, and large cigars) and smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco and dry snuff). During this period, total combustible tobacco consumption decreased 33.5%, or 43.7% per capita. Although total cigarette consumption decreased 38.7%, cigarettes remained the most commonly used combustible tobacco product. Total noncigarette combustible tobacco (i.e., cigars, roll-your-own, and pipe tobacco) consumption increased 117.1%, or 83.8% per capita during 2000–2015. Total consumption of smokeless tobacco increased 23.1%, or 4.2% per capita. Notably, total cigarette consumption was 267.0 billion cigarettes in 2015 compared with 262.7 billion in 2014. These findings indicate that although cigarette smoking declined overall during 2000–2015, and each year from 2000 to 2014, the number of cigarettes consumed in 2015 was higher than in 2014, and the first time annual cigarette consumption was higher than the previous year since 1973. Moreover, the consumption of other combustible and smokeless tobacco products remains substantial. Implementation of proven tobacco prevention interventions (5) is warranted to further reduce tobacco use in the United States..."Tobacco consumption

Helping Everybody to Quit Smoking

"The percentage of adults who smoke cigarettes is higher among people with disabilities than people without disabilities. If more people with disabilities are included in smoking cessation programs, the percentage of those who smoke can be reduced.

Tobacco use continues to be the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.¹ Although progress has been made with reducing cigarette smoking among U.S. adults, declining from 1 in 5 adults in 2005 (45.1 million smokers) to 1 in 6 adults in 2015 (36.5 million),² differences in prevalence of smoking between groups of people still persist. For example, in 2014, cigarette smoking was significantly higher among those who reported having any disability (more than 1 in 5 were smokers) compared to those who reported having no disability (about 1 in 6 were smokers). In addition, similar to people without disabilities, research shows that the percentage of smokers among people with disabilities also differs by race and ethnicity. For instance, the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Natives with a disability who smoke cigarettes was almost three times as high as among Asians with a disability (41.2% versus 12.8%).^3..."
Smoking

Cigarette smoking among U.S. high school students at an all-time low, but e-cigarette use a concern

"Cigarette smoking among high school students dropped to the lowest levels since the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) began in 1991, but the use of electronic vapor products, including e-cigarettes, among students poses new challenges according to the 2015 survey results released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although current cigarette use decreased significantly from 28 percent in 1991 to 11 percent in 2015, new data from the 2015 survey found that 24 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes during the past 30 days..."
Cigarette smoking

Smokers' Stories: Five Reasons to Quit

"No one who starts smoking in their teens expects to suffer serious health effects until very late in life. But many smokers have serious health effects much earlier, causing them to miss important life milestones and deeply affecting their spouses, children, extended family, and friends. That's exactly what happened to the five ad participants featured in CDC's 2016Tips From Former Smokers (Tips) campaign. They share their very personal stories in new, hard-hitting commercials airing across the United States starting January 25. The ads urge smokers to quit and to call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) if they want free help..."
Smoker's stories

Dangers of Hookah Smoking

"Similar to cigarettes, hookah smoking delivers the addictive drug nicotine and it is at least as toxic as cigarette smoking. While many hookah smokers may consider this practice less harmful than smoking cigarettes, hookah smoking carries many of the same health risks as cigarettes.

Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco that is usually flavored. They are also called a number of different names, including waterpipe, narghile, argileh, shisha, hubble-bubble, and goza. Hookah smoking is typically practiced in groups, with the same mouthpiece passed from person to person.."
Hookah smoking

In 1965, 45 Percent of Americans Smoked, Today It's Only 15 Percent

"Taxes. Smoking bans. Strong warnings on cigarette packages. PSAs. It seems that public health officials and lawmakers have tried every trick in the book to stop Americans from smoking — and between 2004 and 2009, the number of smokers hardly budged. That’s changing, though, reports HealthDay’s Dennis Thompson — officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just announced that the number of American smokers just hit its lowest rate ever recorded.

The new data shows that just 15.2 percent of Americans smoke, down from 16.8 percent in 2014. The number has fallen dramatically since 1997, when just under 25 percent of Americans smoked. And Thompson writes that it’s especially dramatic when you consider that in 1965, a whopping 45 percent of Americans were smokers..."
Smoking

Epilepsy and Smoking

"Epilepsy" is a broad term used for conditions that affect the brain and cause seizures. About 2.3 million adults in the United States have epilepsy.¹

A recent CDC study showed that about 20% of adults with active epilepsy, and almost 22% of adults with a history of epilepsy, currently smoke cigarettes. About 19% of adults without epilepsy currently smoke. These new data show that people with active epilepsy are as likely to smoke cigarettes as people without epilepsy.^.."
Epilepsy - smoke

Second Hand Smoke

"Make your home and vehicles smoke free for cleaner air and a healthier heart and lungs.
More than 58 million nonsmokers in the United States are still exposed to secondhand smoke, even though cigarette smoking rates are dropping and many states prohibit smoking in public places such as worksites, restaurants, and bars. In all, about 1 of every 4 nonsmokers is exposed to the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke..."
Second hand smoke

Great American Smokeout: Your Quit Day

"If you're a smoker, quitting is the single most important step you can take to protect your health and the health of your loved ones. Smoking causes immediate damage to your body, and it threatens your future with increased risks for cancer, heart attack, lung disease, and early death. Many people have probably urged you to quit smoking already, but we all know that quitting can be hard.

That's where the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout can help. This event takes place on November 20 and encourages smokers to quit or to use the day to make a quit plan. Free help is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and at 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) (for Spanish speakers)..."

Smoking

The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2014

Find the latest Surgeon General's  Report on the Health Consequences of Smoking. 
Surgeon General's Report on Smoking

Your New Year Quit Smoking Plan

"If your New Year's resolution is to quit smoking, you're in good company. It's a popular goal and many, many people succeed. There are more former smokers in the United States—nearly 50 million—than current smokers. Planning ahead can help make your healthy resolution a reality. Two good resources to help you quit are www.smokefree.gov and 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), where you can get free advice and support..."
Smoking Cessation

Dangers of Hookah Smoking

"Hookahs are water pipes that are used to smoke specially made tobacco this is usually flavored. They are also called a number of different names, including waterpipe, narghile, argileh, shisha, hubble-bubble, and goza. Hookah smoking is typically practiced in groups, with the same mouthpiece passed from person to person..."
Hookah smoking

Tobacco Control State Highlights 2012

Find information on states' efforts to combat smoking and associated health issues.
Tobacco Control State Highlights: 2012