Smoking Cessation Programs

Companies may find including smoking cessation programs as part of an overall workplace wellness program beneficial to the bottom line. These statistics show why.

According to www.mindpub.com, a whopping “27% of American adults (roughly around 48 million people) continue to smoke despite the health risks”. The problem, however, is not the lack of awareness or effort, but the amount of unsuccessful attempts at quitting. Beings as that the average smoker smokes 1-2 packs a day, the degree of their cravings and dependency doesn’t get compensated for during those attempts. One of the many mistakes made during the cessation process is thinking that just one cessation program will stop the cravings all together.



When fighting against the great demon of addiction it is best to have as many resources as possible. Those methods being nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine nasal sprays or inhalers, prescribed medication and counseling. It is true that some of those options should not be mixed, but that doesn’t mean that when one plan doesn’t work you don’t have all the others to try next. Studies show that only 14% out of the 45% of adults that try quitting are able to quit for more than one month. But again, their mistake is thinking that one program will kill their urge.



Psychologists have proved that when the over-the-counter methods (nicotine patches, gum, etc) have been partnered with counseling and support groups, there is a great leap in the amount of successful smoking cessations.



Another issue faced is the cost of treatment versus the cost of addiction. MindPub.com states, “costwise, intensive counseling costs about the same as pharmacological interventions. Brief counseling costs even less. However, the higher cost of combined treatment of counseling and nicotine replacements are more than balanced by their higher rate of success.” Meaning that, the cost of counseling and nicotine treatments combined doesn’t match the cost of buying cigarettes alone. When thinking of direct savings, the average smoker would be saving around $3,000 a year in cigarettes (not including fluctuation in tobacco taxes). Now, combined with the indirect savings, being financial suffering, emotional disorders, diseases, cancers and major physical illnesses, it is not only more financially beneficial to quit but also anatomically and spiritually. You will not only grow healthier as a person but also more financially sound.



[ information received from www.mindpub.com and www.webmd.com on 9/23/09 ]