Viva Vitality: Good reasons to be a quitter

By Rita Aman on January 3, 2020.

There are so many reasons to consider quitting smoking. The list is as unique as each individual, but there are a few reasons that consistently come up in our Quit Core groups.

One of the most mentioned and important is “I’m quitting for my health.” The details vary – an individual may want to improve a current health condition or, for some who are living with certain health issues, their desire is to avoid becoming sicker.

Then there are perfectly healthy people who want to stay that way. Others may notice a few things like being a bit short of breath or some morning coughing that wasn’t there before. So they choose to stop using a product that may lead to conditions that could compromise their otherwise good health. They hope to quit while they’re ahead, before a diagnosis could change their life.

Another common reason is the cost. “It’s too expensive, I can’t afford to keep smoking.” or “I’m just tired of spending money on smokes.” There will be a variety of details within the money motivation. It could be to catch up on bills or debt, save for a vehicle or vacation, buy nice things for themselves, their children or grandchildren, or to just have some extra money in the bank. Regardless of a current financial situation, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t realize some financial benefit from quitting smoking.

It looks like the cost of cigarettes keeps going up. Think about what you paid for a pack when you first started smoking and compare it with today. Some of you may even remember when a pack of 25 was under $1, just one “paper dollar bill.” Today, the average cost of a pack of 25 is around $16. For a one-pack-per-day smoker, the monthly cost is $480. What would you do with an extra almost $500 each month? How would you rather spend your money? In one short year the total is $5,840. In just five years, that’s over $29,000. There can be financial gains in a number of other ways. In addition to saving the actual cost of the cigarette pack, your life insurance and house insurance rates will decrease and the resale value of your vehicle and home will increase if they have not been smoked in.

Want to see if quitting smoking can really lead to a richer life? Richer in a lot of ways? Join us in a Quit Core group and see your 2020 tobacco free!

Quit Core is a free group cessation program that provides support for adults 18 and older. The six-week program is offered by trained leaders where you will discover many quitting support techniques. This group connects you with others who are also quitting, you will get support, share experiences and learn strategies to quit. Through Quit Core you will learn how to design a quit plan that works best for you.

There is no fee, but you must pre-register. Groups are offered in Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and surrounding areas. Please check out albertaquits.ca for dates and locations near you. The next program in Medicine Hat starts Jan. 14 from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. For more information or to register for Quit Core near you, please call 1-866-710-QUIT (7848).

Rita Aman is a Health Promotion Facilitator with Alberta Health Services. She can be reached by e-mail: rita.aman@ahs.ca