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Hate Smoking, Help The Smoker

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By DR. FLEUR SACK and BRENDA OLSEN Special to the Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

The Florida Legislature has made a number of important steps to make our state smoke-free. In 2003, a constitutional amendment to ban smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces - including restaurants - went into effect. However, enacting a law that makes it difficult for smokers to light up in public is only half the battle.
Nicotine addiction from smoking is a chronic, relapsing medical condition, not simply a habit or personal choice.

More than 70 percent of smokers say they want to quit, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And nearly 60 percent of Florida smokers say they plan to quit within the next six months, according to the Florida Adult Tobacco Survey.

Without counseling and treatment, only 5 percent of the people who attempt to quit will successfully overcome their addiction. Because of the relapsing nature of the condition, it may take a smoker several attempts before he or she has successfully quit cigarettes.

Unfortunately, few people have access to smoking cessation coverage through their insurance plans. We must make every effort to make more resources available to help Floridians quit smoking.

According to the CDC, smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. The CDC recommends that smoking cessation coverage include:

•At least four counseling sessions of at least 20 minutes each, including telephone and individual counseling;

•All FDA-approved prescription medications and over-the-counter nicotine replacement treatments;

•Counseling and medication for at least two smoking cessation attempts per year; and

•The elimination or minimization of co-pays or deductibles for counseling and medications.

For too long we have waited to treat smokers when they are sick or after they develop costly, debilitating chronic health conditions. FDA-approved cessation therapy has been proven to be a cost-effective way to manage health care costs and to improve overall health. It's time to be proactive!

According to a recent study by the Florida Institute for Smoking Cessation, from an economic viewpoint, productivity gains associated with comprehensive smoking cessation programs generate statewide economic benefits. They include $21 billion in positive economic impact on the state's yearly output of goods and services, $7 billion gain in labor income per year and over 100,000 new jobs supported as longer lifespans and a more productive labor force create new and expanded economic opportunities.

The Partnership for Prevention, a Washington, D.C., based group of businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies who work to advance policies to prevent disease, estimates that every dollar invested in worksite health promotion yields $3.50 to nearly $6 in savings through reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and decreased health care related costs.

Government, private employers and insurance companies must work together to ensure that CDC-recommended treatment and counseling programs are available to smokers who want to quit and physicians who want to help them quit. The formula for a healthier Florida is to provide smokers and physicians with the tools that will help Floridians overcome their addiction.

Dr. Fleur Sack is a member of Florida Academy of Family Physicians and co-chair of the Florida Institute for Smoking Cessation. Brenda Olsen is chief operating officer for the American Lung Association of the Southeast and co-chair of the Florida Institut

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