Did you know that nicotine, the main chemical in tobacco, is just as addictive as heroin or cocaine? When tobacco is used to deliver nicotine—whether by inhalation, through cigarettes and vaping, or smokeless products, like chewing tobacco—it can result in cancer, emphysema, stroke, and heart disease. Although quitting smoking and other nicotine habits can be one of the most difficult things to do, it can also be an important step toward enhancing the length and quality of a person’s life. Within two weeks of quitting smoking, most withdrawal symptoms disappear and the body begins repairing itself. If you are ready to quit the nicotine habit, help is available.

Smoking Facts

• Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals and 2,000 poisons—including toxins found in nail polish remover, rat poisoning, battery acid, insecticides, and rocket fuel
• Ninety percent of long-term smokers began smoking under the age of 18
• On average, smokers die 14 years earlier than nonsmokers
• Quitting smoking before the age of 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related disease by about 90%

E-Cigarettes and Vaping
Electronic nicotine delivery systems, like e-cigarettes or vaping products, may also put you at risk for health issues. In fact, over 2,800 people in the U.S. have either been hospitalized or died from e-cigarettes or vaping products as of February 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This is especially dangerous for young people, as approximately one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students currently use e-cigarettes, according to the CDC and Food and Drug Administration.

Three Ways to Get Help

Health Coaching Program
Sutter Health Plus members can access the Health Coaching Program for tobacco cessation at no cost share to help break the nicotine habit. Participation is easy. Together, a member and coach work one-on-one to address the member’s personal needs, concerns, and preferences. Coaching appointments are by telephone and the first call lasts no more than 20 minutes. Health coaches can continue weekly sessions with the member as long as it is necessary.

Call 866-961-8513 or email wellnesscoaching@sutterhealth.org to get started.

Health and Wellness Site
A variety of online tobacco cessation resources are available for members on the Sutter Health Plus Health and Wellness Site, accessed through the Member Portal. Here you will find action plan modules, personal health assessments, a video library, and interactive tools to help create a strategy, make better decisions, and take positive steps toward wellness goals.

Talk to Your Primary Care Physician
A member’s primary care physician (PCP) can provide individual counseling related to tobacco cessation during an office visit. The PCP may also recommend over-the-counter products or prescribe drugs to help with tobacco cessation—covered at no cost share. Members can schedule an in-person appointment or virtual video visit with a participating PCP through My Health Online.

When you are ready to kick the nicotine habit, Sutter Health Plus has you covered.