Stop Smoking Today

Cigarette smoking increases your risk for a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. But the good news is that when you stop smoking — regardless of how long or how much you smoked, your risk of contracting some of these health problems starts to drop.

Mercy Health Saint Mary's is proud to be a smoke-free hospital that encourages a healthy lifestyle free of tobacco use. That's why smoking is not allowed by anyone on any area of any of our locations. Learn more about our Smoking Policy.

Why is Tobacco/Smoking a Concern for Mercy Health?

• Tobacco/smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death.
• There is no risk-free level of tobacco smoke. Damage from tobacco and tobacco smoke is immediate.
• Smoking longer means more damage.
• Cigarettes are designed for addiction.
• There is no safe cigarette.
• The only proven strategy for reducing the risk of tobacco-related disease and death is to never smoke, and if you do smoke to quit.
• There is no safe level of second hand smoke.

According the latest Surgeon General Report, secondhand and thirdhand smoke are very dangerous and can also kill. Secondhand smoke comes in two forms — sidestream and mainstream. Sidestream smoke comes from the burning end of a cigarette. Mainstream smoke is the smoke exhaled by smokers. These forms of smoke remain in the air for hours and days as small particles, too small to see but they are capable of causing illness.

Even brief exposures to smoke are unhealthy and could trigger health problems like asthma attacks or chest pain in heart patients. Thirdhand smoke is what clings to your clothes, hair, furniture, etc. That is why our employees must arrive at work not smelling of tobacco and remain tobacco-free throughout their workday.

Tobacco Free Partners

Tobacco Free Partners is a quit smoking program that partners with Mercy Health Saint Mary's. Tobacco Free Partners offers a variety of support options to help you quit smoking including:

• Tobacco Free for Good: a six week/seven session program designed to help you develop a personalized quit plan and relapse prevention plan. The next 6 week session starts February 13, 2013 and will be held Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m. in the Wege Building on the Mercy Health Saint Mary's campus. To learn more and to register, visit www.tobaccofreepartners.org or call 616-685-1410.
• "The Quitters" Support Group: a smoking cessation support group that is part of the Tobacco Free for Good classes. The group meets the second and fourth Monday night of every month, 6–7 p.m. in the Wege Building at Mercy Health Saint Mary's. No registration is required. Call 616-235-1427 or visit www.tobaccofreepartners.org for more information.
• Nicotine Anonymous: offered at 11 a.m. every Saturday at Heartside Health Clinic, 359 S. Division (Map), Third Floor, Back Door.
• One on One Coaching for Cessation: offered at a minimal charge. Call 616-685-1411 for more information.

Quit Resources in West Michigan

Quit programs should be based on strong medical evidence. Any program stating it's 100% or even 50% successful is suspect. Quitting can take several attempts and it is a chronic disease and relapse occurs. Check your private insurance to see what benefits your insurance provides.

Michigan Tobacco Quitline
1-800-QUIT-NOW
Provides medication and coaching for Medicaid and Medicare patients, veterans, the uninsured and patients of federally funded health clinics.

Medication Assistance
Federally Funded Health Centers
www.findahealthcenterhrsa.gov

Connection to Care — Pfizer Friends
(Chantix, Nicotrol Inhaler, Nicotrol Nasal Spray)
www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com
1-800-706-2400

Bridges to Access (Zyban)
www.bridgestoaccess.com
1-888-788-7921

Together Rx Access
Chantix, Nicotrol Nasal Spray, Nicotrol Inhaler, Zyban
www.togetherrxaccess.com
1-800-444-4106

You can also contact one of the following organizations that can also offer tools and resources to help you stop smoking today:

American Cancer Society
1-800-227-2345
www.cancer.org

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
202-638-5577
www.acog.org

American Heart Association
1-800-242-1793
www.amhrt.org

American Lung Association of Michigan
1-800-586-4872
www.lungusa.org

Michigan Department of Community Health
1-800-537-5666
www.michigan.gov/mdch

Kent County Health Department
616-632-7590
www.accesskent.com

National Cancer Institute
1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
www.cancer.gov

National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention (LCAT)
www.nlcatp.org

National Women's Health Information Center
1-800-994-WOMAN (1-800-994-9662)
www.womenshealth.gov/smoking-how-to-quit/

Nicotine Anonymous
1-877-TRY-NICA (1-877-879-6422)
www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Office on Smoking and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
770-448-5705
www.cdc.gov/tobacco

Quit The NIC Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network
1-800-811-1764
www.bcbsm.com

Smokefree.gov (Online materials, including info on state quit lines)
www.smokefree.gov

Smoke-Free Families (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
smokefreefamilies.tobacco-cessation.org/