Tobacco cessation class encourages breaking habit

Photo By Heather Johnson | Tobacco cessation, a program hosted by U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa’s Health Promotion Department and Occupational Health Clinic, helps status of forces agreement personnel interested in decreasing their tobacco intake or quitting. Classes are held every Tuesday morning at the hospital.  

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JAPAN

10.27.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Heather Johnson 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP FOSTER, Japan - The U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa’s Health Promotion Department, in conjunction with the Occupational Health Clinic, provides a tobacco cessation program to assist service members and their families with their battle against nicotine addiction.

The program provides classes every Tuesday morning at the hospital for those who are interested in decreasing their tobacco intake or would like to quit, said Joanne Haynes, a health promotions specialist with the hospital.

The program is important because tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of premature deaths among Americans, said Haynes.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 45.3 million people currently smoke cigarettes, and approximately 443,000 deaths occur annually due to cigarette smoking.

“This is where the tobacco cessation program comes in,” said Shirley Beasley-Posey, a wellness educator with Marine Corps Community Services’ health promotion office. “The program aims to provide the service member with information and a plan on how to become, and remain, successfully tobacco free.”

Individuals may use tobacco products as social habits or coping mechanisms to deal with certain stressors or problematic situations in life.

“Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance, making addiction the number one reason why people smoke,” said Beasley-Posey. “Smoking can also be a social habit. When others around you are smoking, you may feel like you should be doing the same. This feeling is known as peer pressure. Most people have a natural tendency to conform, which is an additional reason why people may decide to begin smoking.”

Tobacco use affects service members’ performance because it decreases stamina, conditioning, motor controls, lung capacity and night vision. Tobacco users are also at an increased risk for injuries and slower healing times, which can affect personal and unit readiness.

The tobacco cessation class offers the user information about the harmful effects of tobacco use and methods available to break the addiction. The class works with behavior modification and assists individuals in obtaining any needed medications, patches or gum that they may need to help break their habit.

“This program can benefit service members because we make it easy and convenient by offering walk-in appointments,” said Haynes. “We assist them in every aspect of breaking the addiction.
This program also assists members with the depression and irritability that nicotine withdrawal can often times bring on.”

The program is available as a class or in individual sessions; however, preregistration is recommended for those looking to attend the class.

“We are very flexible in where we offer our classes,” said Beasley-Posey. “We can travel to them, or they are free to come to our location on Camp Foster. We have even held classes in the barracks.”

The third Thursday in November has been designated as The Great American Smokeout Day by the American Cancer Society to encourage users to at least quit for a day, said Haynes. There will be an event held on Camp Lester for the Great American Smokeout for all status of forces agreement personnel Nov. 18.

For more information on tobacco cessation or the Great American Smokeout event, contact U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa’s Health Promotion Department at 643-7906 or walk into any Occupational Health Clinic.

• Date Taken: 10.27.2011
• Date Posted: 10.26.2011 23:34
• Story ID: 79065
• Location: CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP