KINGMAN – Mohave County Tobacco Use Prevention Program, MCTUPP, is putting on tobacco cessation at Kingman Regional Medical Center (KRMC). They are taught by Mohave County Department of Public Health Tobacco Coordinator, Susan Williams. The classes are free and open to the public. The classes follow Freshstart curriculum, a tobacco cessation support program offered by the American Cancer Society. The Freshstart curriculum takes students through the decision to quit using tobacco, properly planning to quit, assigning a quit day and continuing to remain tobacco free after successfully quitting.
The curriculum provides ‘tips and tricks’ to aid smokers on the road to cessation, which Williams instructs and explains for the cessation students. “For example, when feeling a craving to smoke, always remember the 4 D’s: Do something else, Drink water, Deep Breathing, Delay.” Williams also provided some insight into how some people become attracted to smoking. “Most people start when they’re young. They’re learning to make decisions. They tie using tobacco to their decision making because it makes them feel good.” The endgame of the classes is to break these mental connections, so that the students can begin a healthier life.
The classes take place Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at KRMC, Mohave Conference Room A, 3269 Stockton Hill Rd. The next two meeting is Feb 11. These meetings will focus on nutrition and then exercise, in relation to continuing tobacco cessation.
Assuming interest is still there, the classes will then start again from the first day of curriculum. If there isn’t enough interest than the progress of the curriculum may reset. Regardless, no matter when a person decides to attend the classes, they will be brought up to speed to the curriculum. And again, the classes are free and open. “They can just come. We’ll get everybody caught up to where they need to be.”
- Michael Morrison
