Smoking Cessation

At NKCH, it’s our goal to support every aspect of your health. And that means giving you the guidance and tools you need to prevent future health issues — and live life to the fullest. With ongoing support and a program centered around your needs, you can give up tobacco for good. 

Benefits of Tobacco Cessation

When you stop using tobacco products, you add years to your life, improve your overall health and quality of life, and protect your partner, children, pets and other loved ones from harmful second- and third-hand smoke.

Positive Outcomes Within Minutes

Your body starts healing after your final cigarette, pouch of chewing tobacco or e-cigarette. Your body will experience benefits after:

• After 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drop to normal levels.
• After 24 hours, your risk for heart attack goes down (and will continue to drop).
• After 48 hours, cells that help you taste and smell start growing back.
• After 72 hours, breathing becomes easier.
• After Two - 12 weeks, your blood circulation begins to improve.
• After One – Nine months, your lungs will function better.
• After One year, your risk of heart disease and heart attack drops to half that of a person who smokes.

Risks of Tobacco

It’s important to stop using tobacco because smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death. It also increases your risk for serious health problems, such as:

Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

Smoking doesn’t just affect your health. It releases cancer-causing substances into the air that others can breathe in, and that can also settle on both hard surfaces like walls, furniture and cars, as well as soft ones like clothing, drapes, bedding and carpet. So, nonsmokers around you not only breathe in the chemicals as secondhand smoke; they are also exposed to thirdhand smoke if they come into your home or vehicle.

Second- and third-hand smoke can cause serious health problems such as asthma, heart attack, stroke and even lung cancer.

Chewing Tobacco & E-Cigarettes

There are no safe smokeless tobacco alternatives to cigarettes. Chewing tobacco and vaping devices, such as e-cigarettes, cause as many health problems as cigarettes. 

• Chewing tobacco allows the soft tissues in your mouth to absorb tobacco.
• Smokeless tobacco products can lead to gum disease as well as mouth, esophageal and pancreatic cancers.
• Vaping allows nicotine, flavorings and unknown chemicals into the body, especially the lungs. Vaping can cause severe lung damage and affect brain development, memory and concentration.