Ready to Quit? Breathe Easy Can Help

Quitting nicotine is hard work, as anyone who has smoked or chewed tobacco can tell you.  Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs to humans on the planet.  The research on nicotine cessation tells us that when people try to permanently quit nicotine on their own with no assistance, the success rates are typically shown to be less than 3%. 

However, even though it's so hard to quit, nearly 70% of all smokers in the US report that they want to quit completely.  And, we know that since 2002, the number of former smokers has been increasingly greater than the number of active smokers.  Most people who use nicotine want to end their addiction!

We also know something else about quitting: that seeking some sort of professional assistance can significantly increase your chances of success.

• The use of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (eg., nicotine gum or lozenges) increases success rates to 12 to 16%.
• The use of a medication like Chantix or Zyban increases the rates to 16 to 22%.
• The use of a formal treatment program increases the use to about 20 to 25%.  The effectiveness of treatment programs increase to close to 30% when they incorporate Nicotine Replacement and/or medications as cessation aids.

Breathe Easy - MSU's Smoking Cessation Program

If you are an MSU employee (or you are married or the partner of an MSU employee) who is currently using tobacco, and you are ready to quit, you may be interested to know that MSU offers a free, confidential program designed to help people quit their addiction to nicotine.  It's called Breathe Easy, and it's offered through MSU's Health4U program. 

Breathe Easy features both behavioral and medical support to it's participants, so it allows people to address both the physical (cravings, withdrawal) and psychological (triggers, stress) aspects of the quitting process.  Participants are offered the opportunity to use various cessation aids if they choose to, including nicotine replacement and medications, and are educated about their options prior to deciding.  MSU faculty, staff, graduate student employees, retirees, and their benefits eligible family members are all eligible to participate in this program.

If you would like to know more about the program, visit our page that describes the upcoming Breathe Easy session, where you may register for the program and see upcoming dates.  You may also contact Health4U if you have questions about the program and just want to learn more before you sign up.