HAWC offers programs, resources in tobacco cessation

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kirsten Wicker
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Many people would agree that tobacco usage is one of the most difficult addictions to overcome. Most understand that it can also be hazardous to their overall health and wellness. For these reasons, the Health and Wellness Center here has a tobacco cessation program with resources to help those individuals who have a desire to quit and improve their health for good. 

"Quitting tobacco is one of the most difficult challenges an individual can undertake," said Tanya Henriques, 62nd Medical Operations Squadron, health education program manager at the HAWC, "but the improvements in health can be astounding. Our goal at the HAWC is to make tobacco cessation as accessible and easy as possible for smokers and chewers, while ensuring they receive the safest, most current, research-based intervention tailored to their individual needs."

Approximately 23.8 percent of McChord's active duty population uses some form of tobacco, according to Air Force Population Health Statistics from June 2008.

According to the National Institutes of Health, "Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of premature death in the United States. Each year, more than 440,000 Americans die of tobacco-related disease, accounting for one in every five deaths. Cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 30 percent of cancer deaths annually in the United States. Cigarettes are the predominant form of tobacco that Americans consume, but tobacco consumption also includes smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipes." 

Nearly all people know that tobacco use in any form can be hazardous to their overall health. The tobacco cessation program at McChord's Health and Wellness Center provides programs and resources to help individuals interested in quitting tobacco and improving their health. 

Approximately 70 percent of active tobacco users have mixed emotions about their usage. However, stopping smoking or chewing is not an easy task. Tobacco use is perpetuated by a complex combination of biological addiction, psychological cravings, environmental factors, cultural norms, and social networks, Henriques said. 

The HAWC offers condensed tobacco cessation classes to provide individuals with the information they need to quit successfully while accommodating busy schedules. Classes focus on stress management, positive reinforcement, healthy lifestyle changes, trigger identification, and relapse prevention. The ultimate goal is to stay quit for the long term. 

"Anyone can quit smoking or chewing--most clients we see have quit many times--the key to success is quitting for good, and that is where the behavioral components learned in classes and groups come in," said Henriques. 

Handouts, pamphlets, and other resources are also available. Additional assistance is available through a support group that meets twice a month, usually the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 11 a.m. at the HAWC. 

"My biggest reason for quitting is so I can talk to my niece and nephew on the phone and they can understand me because my voice is clear and not raspy," said Airman 1st Class Jared Utrup, 7th Airlift Squadron. "The support and resources available at the HAWC are very helpful for anyone who wants to quit." 

Tobacco program classes and resources are free to all active duty, dependents, DoD civilians and contractors, and retirees. To register for a class or learn more about tobacco cessation or other HAWC programs, please contact Tanya Henriques at 982-5474.