Tobacco Cessation

Quitting Smoking or Tobacco Use

Whether you are exploring this page for the first time or you are attempting to quit smoking, vaping, or using tobacco products for the 10th or 100th time, we welcome this chance to support your efforts to quit! To increase your chance of success, schedule an appointment at Student Health Services (703-993-2831) specifically for tobacco cessation.

Tobacco dependence is the number one public health problem in the world and the single most preventable cause of death in the United States– not to mention the cause of many respiratory infections, bad breath, premature wrinkling, yellowed teeth AND a huge money drain!

Get one-on-one help in strategizing a plan to quit smoking or using tobacco. You will meet with a healthcare provider who can review information on all the latest nicotine replacement therapies and assist you in identifying and overcoming your personal triggers and obstacles.

We are eager to provide students with ongoing support in this difficult task of quitting tobacco. Nicotine addiction can be strong, but you are stronger! Even if you are just considering the possibility of quitting, schedule an appointment and let us help you!

Telephone Consultation

Trained smoking cessation experts are available to help at 1-800-QUIT NOW. This is a free service available from 8 am to 11pm each day. This program was developed in collaboration with and is sponsored by the states and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Medications

If you have tried to quit in the past, or if you feel medication may help you quit, call (703-993-2831) to schedule a free tobacco cessation appointment with Student Health to discuss options available to you.

Additional Information

Student Support and Advocacy Center

E-cigarette (vaping) information from the Centers for Disease Control

Smokefree.gov

BeTobaccofree.gov

American Lung Association

US Department of Health

Benefits of Quitting

Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you’ll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal:

your breath smells better
stained teeth get whiter
clothes and hair smell better
your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear
food tastes better
your sense of smell returns to normal
everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (such as climbing stairs or light housework)

Smokefree.gov lists many benefits to quitting smoking.

The Decision to Quit Smoking:

You must decide when it is time to quit. Others in your life may want you to quit but you will be the one who has to commit to quitting. Think about why you want to quit:

Are you worried that you could get a smoking-related disease?
Do you really believe that the benefits of quitting outweigh the benefits of continuing to smoke?
Do you know someone who has had health problems because of their smoking?
Are you ready to make a serious try at quitting?

If you are thinking about quitting, setting a date and deciding on a plan will move you to the next step.

Tips to Help You Quit

Set a quit date, ideally within 2 weeks.
Get rid of tobacco products in your environment.
Get support from family, friends, and coworkers.
Review past quit attempts—what helped, what led you to start using tobacco again.
Prepare for challenges, particularly during the critical first few weeks, including nicotine withdrawal.
Identify reasons for quitting and benefits of quitting.
Total abstinence is essential—not even a single puff.
Drinking alcohol is strongly associated with starting smoking again.
Allowing others to smoke in the household is not supportive of successful quitting.

Dealing With Withdrawal

Smokefree.gov lists ways to help deal with withdrawal when quitting.

Medications that can help you deal with withdrawal.

Effects of Tobacco

Did you know that smoking…

Prematurely ages skin by between 10 and 20 years
Increases the likelihood of facial wrinkling (by 3 times), particularly around the eyes and mouth
Gives a sallow, yellow-grey complexion and hollow cheeks, which can cause smokers to look gaunt
Causes gum disease, halitosis (bad breath) and tooth loss
Stains tooth enamel and fingers yellow
Makes you store fat around the waist and increases the risk of cellulite

Health Risks

The Centers for Disease Control provides more information about how smoking affects your health.

Financial Cost of Smoking

Smokefree.gov lets you calculate how much money you spend on smoking.