This is the ideal moment to attempt quitting smoking once more.

This is the ideal moment to attempt quitting smoking once more.

The majority of people who attempt to quit smoking fail on their first attempt, but this doesn't mean they should give up. They can view it as practice instead, learning techniques and methods they can use on their next attempt. Additionally, smokers should be aware that VA offers more tobacco use treatment choices than ever before to Veterans receiving VA care. To help Veterans understand that "practice is perfect," VA is promoting the Great American Smokeout on November 21. Every endeavor is a positive step. Veterans might be given additional information about how to deal with cravings to smoke, for instance, and what kinds of support and treatment work best for them.

Quitting smoking has several immediate benefits for smokers, as well as many more in the long run. They could discover that they can breathe more easily when performing daily activities like climbing stairs after two weeks of cessation. They may also become more olfactory and palatable. The chance of having a heart attack lowers significantly a year after quitting smoking. The risk of bladder, esophageal, lung, throat, and oral cancers is halved after five to ten years. In addition, quitting smoking can help with sleep, increase the efficacy of some depression and anxiety drugs, lessen chronic pain, ease the symptoms of some PTSD, and much more.

The reality is that quitting smoking is difficult. After smoking their last cigarette, a person may experience nicotine withdrawal within a few hours. To assist Veterans in managing withdrawal and overcoming other challenges, VA offers a variety of therapy and support programs. These choices include prescription drugs, nicotine gum or patches, in-person and online counseling, and nicotine replacement therapy. Studies have indicated that a combination of behavioral counseling and cessation medicine is the most effective way for smokers to permanently quit.

Reach out to your VA health care physician via My HealtheVet or other channels to talk about new treatments or a therapy combination that might be most effective for you. The free VA telephone quitline, Quit VET, can be reached at 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838). A certified quit coach will be available to help you create a plan to quit smoking. Support is provided by coaches in both Spanish and English. Text VET to 47848 to sign up for SmokefreeVET (or VETesp to 47848 for Spanish help). Veterans will get resources, advice, and supportive SMS messages. The website SmokefreeVET offers a quit strategy. Whether it's your first attempt or your fifth, quitting smoking is always a good idea. Find out more about VA's resources for tobacco use therapy and how Veterans can use them.