Your Bridge To Wellness: Crossing Rivers Health Blog

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of death in the U.S. In 1964, a groundbreaking report by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health made headlines in newspapers and television news programs. This was an important first step in educating the public about the dangers of commercial tobacco use. Tobacco use has changed over the past 61 years since the initial report, but it continues to cause significant health concerns.

Nicotine, found in cigarettes and other tobacco products such as chew and vape, is a highly addictive chemical. Nicotine reaches the brain within seconds. It changes how the brain works and causes it to crave more. Tobacco use can increase your risk of 12 types of cancer. In addition to nicotine, tobacco products contain thousands of other toxic chemicals that damage the lungs and cause a host of other health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, chronic lung disease, and reproductive problems. Secondhand smoke can cause long-term health effects for unborn babies, children, family members, and pets.

The Crossing Rivers Health Imaging Department offers a low-dose CT scan for lung cancer screening. This annual screening is indicated for individuals beginning at age 50 who have smoked an equivalent of a pack per day for 20 years and are current smokers, or who have quit smoking within the past 15 years. This screening uses no contrast dye, so it is quick and painless. If you think you may qualify for lung cancer screening, check with your primary care provider. Find out more from our website at https://www.crossingrivers.org/services/lung-cancer-screening/.

Smoking triggers several physical, psychological, and behavioral responses that make this a tough habit to break. Addiction is a mental or emotional dependence. Physical dependence is when your body gets used to a substance, and then you feel negative effects if your body does not get the substance. Nicotine use can cause both of these reactions. It is very common for people to try quitting several times. Family and friends can support the person quitting by helping them establish new habits, offering positive encouragement, and celebrating successes with them.

Although anyone who starts using tobacco can become addicted, teens and young adults are more vulnerable. They are also more likely to have damage to their developing brain. It can permanently damage parts of the brain that control attention, learning, and impulse control.

Quitting smoking has the most significant and widespread impact on your health. There are both short and long-term benefits to quitting smoking. Quitting helps reduce your risk of cancer, the development of complications from chronic diseases, and many other health factors. You will also save money, food will taste better, and you will feel better overall.

Quitting smoking for good is possible with a combination of proven strategies—including over-the-counter and prescription medications, along with lifestyle changes. The most effective plan includes a combination of these methods for the best results.

Free resources are available through the Quitline. Your healthcare provider can refer you or you can contact the Quitline yourself by calling 1-800-QUIT NOW, texting QUITNOW to 333888, or you can visit the Quitline website for your state of residence. Resources vary by state. The Quitline staff include trained counselors to assist you in making a plan to quit and are available for ongoing support to help you stay tobacco free.

Crossing Rivers Health supports our patients and community in being tobacco-free. Quit and Stay Quit Monday (QSQM) is a seven-week class series offered free of charge from 5-6:30 every Monday from September 8- October 20 in the Polodna Conference Room at Crossing Rivers Health. QSQM is a public health initiative supported by Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Syracuse universities. It promotes using Mondays as a fresh start to commit, or recommit, to quitting smoking. This weekly reset helps you recover from slips and stay focused on your goal. You will learn about medications, preparation, coping strategies, stress management, weight management, exercise, benefits of quitting, and relapse prevention. Register for this life-changing series by August 25, 2025, at https://www.crossingrivers.org/classes-and-events/events/quit-stay-quit-monday-2025/ or call 608.357.2163.

It is not too late to quit. Short and long-term benefits can still be yours to enjoy. You have what it takes to stop and free yourself from tobacco for life. Let us help you take this step toward a long and healthy life.

Sources:

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 15). Screening for Lung Cancer. https://www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/screening/index.html

Mayo Clinic. (2025, June 14) Nicotine Dependence. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nicotine-dependence/symptoms-causes/syc-20351584

American Cancer Society. (2024, November 19). Why People Start Smoking and Why It’s Hard to Stop. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking/why-people-start-using-tobacco.html

Iowa Health and Human Services. (n.d.) Help for Teens and Young Adults. https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/programs-and-services/tobacco-use-prevention-control/vaping-electronic-smoking/teens

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 24). A History of the Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco-surgeon-general-reports/about/history.html

American Lung Association. (2025, January 27). Tobacco Facts. https://www.lung.org/research/sotc/facts

1. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Benefits of Quitting Smoking. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/benefits-of-quitting.html
2. S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2021, March 9). Final Recommendation Statement: Lung Cancer Screening. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening