Quitting Smoking — Being Tobacco Free
Why You Need to Quit
Nicotine in tobacco causes the heart to beat faster and the blood vessels to narrow . Carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen to the body . This causes stress on the heart and makes managing heart failure harder .
Tobacco damages the arteries of the heart , which increases the chance of a heart attack . Smoking also changes cholesterol levels . The risk of cancer also increases when you smoke or use tobacco .
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine replacement therapy comes as patches , gum , lozenges , and inhalers ( both mouth and nose ). Some of these products can be bought without a doctor ’ s prescription . Always talk with your doctor before using these products .
Medications
Zyban ® and Wellbutrin SR ® are the brand names of bupropion , a prescription medication .
Chantix ® ( varenicline ) is a prescription medication .
Resources for Quitting
Ask your doctor or nurse for more information on quitting smoking . Helpful resources include telephone quit lines , websites , and local programs . Get the support you need to quit smoking .
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Ohio Tobacco Quit Line 1-800-QUIT-NOW ( 1-800-784-8669 )
Smokefree . gov Smokefree . gov offers a Step-by-Step Quit Guide , Tools to Help You Quit , and professionals to help you — Talk to the Expert .
American Lung Association 614-279-1700 or 1-800-548-8252 lungusa . org
American Cancer Society 1-800-ACS-2345 ( 1-800-227-2345 ) cancer . org
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