Airman offers Great American Smokeout advice

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sarah Kinsman
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) --  According to the American Cancer Society, more than 46.5 million American citizens are in a private prison. Afflicted with worsening health, financial shackles and being publicly ostracized, these prisoners have their cell in their possession, but they can break out.

All they have to do is quit smoking.

The society started the Great American Smoke Out in 1977 to challenge people to stop using tobacco and raise awareness of the many effective ways to quit for good.

Tech. Sgt. Joanne Reed, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces protocol office here, quit smoking in 2001 during the Great American Smokeout and has not turned back.

“I started [smoking] when I was 17, so I had been smoking for 10 years at a rate of one to two packs per day,” she said. “It was not my first attempt at quitting, and I didn’t know if it would be my last either. It seems to take us smokers five to six times before we get quitting right. I was due to get it right this time.”

There were several reasons why she decided to quit smoking.

“I was tired of the stigma, the lectures, the smell, the cost and my health,” she said. “I was a medic. I was supposed to be leading the pack and setting the example. Instead, I was a complete hypocrite.”

Having attempted quitting several times before 2001, there were some changes Sergeant Reed made to help her remain tobacco-free.

“I adopted several gradual lifestyle changes when I successfully quit,” she said. “First and foremost was to quit smoking. Once I achieved that goal for myself, I slowly incorporated diet and exercise. Running became a successful outlet for me. I viewed it as swapping one addiction for another.”

This year’s Great American Smokeout, the day set aside each year to have smokers stop smoking for a day and hopefully for the rest of their lives, is Nov. 18. Sergeant Reed offers a few tips to smokers wanting to quit.

“Hang in there is the best tip I can offer,” she said. “Quitting is not easy. It takes a lot of work, a lot of time and a lot of effort. Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon. We don’t succeed by berating ourselves into achieving. Get up, dust yourself off, give yourself a pat on the back and jump on again. In the meantime, you are gaining the skills you need in order to be successful when you do [quit].”

Smoking cessation is not just about stopping the act, but changing the lifestyle.

“For me, quitting smoking affected my social contacts and my daily routines,” Sergeant Reed said. “I had to change my thinking and behaviors regarding my eating and exercise habits.

“Everyone has their reasons for smoking: to cope with stress, to relax, curb appetite, peer pressure, boredom. ... Some people don’t quit because they fear the weight gain, the mood swings associated with nicotine withdrawal, they’re unable to find alternate ways to cope with stress, and some may not quit because consciously or unconsciously, they’re afraid of failing,” Sergeant Reed said.

“The most important step is making the commitment to quit,” she said. “Individuals can start by gathering the tools and resources -- seek information, join a support group, attend a smoking cessation class. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about quitting, I guarantee you will gain at least one new resource to add to your toolbox to be a successful quitter.

“Anyone can quit, anyone. It’s up to the individual,” Sergeant Reed said. “All it requires is commitment.”