Tobacco Cessation
A generation ago, smoking a cigar after dinner or puffing on a pipe was a popular habit among men. Fortunately, using these two forms of tobacco has steadily declined over the past 35 years. Unfortunately, those who still enjoy smoking pipes or cigars run higher risks of cancer of the larynx, pharynx, and esophagus. If you happen to inhale pipe or cigar smoke, you also run the same risk of diseases associated with cigarette smoking-namely, lung cancer, emphysema, stroke, and heart disease.
As with cigarettes, smoking a pipe or cigars is ingrained with other routine activities. To disassociate smoking from other habits-and gradually break away from a pipe or cigars-follow these seven steps.
1. Pay attention to your smoking behavior for a few days. Note when and where you like to smoke (key rooms in the house, car, office, after meals, and so forth).
2. Instead of lighting up at your customary time, wait an hour. Do this for several days.
3. Smoke in one area only, like the back porch. Don’t smoke anywhere else.
4. Extend your 1-hour delay to 2 hours. Do this for another week.
5. Don’t read, watch television, or perform other “automatic” activities while you smoke.
6. Finish only half the cigar or bowl of pipe tobacco. Discard the rest.
7. Finally, don’t smoke your pipe or cigar at all.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
