Breathe Pride. Smoke Free.
The single most preventable cause of death and disease is smoking/vaping.
The struggle against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred is real in LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ people have higher rates of depression and anxiety due to the daily stress of stress of coping with stigma. The facts are stacked against us. In addition, approximately 30,000 LGBTQ+ individuals die annually due to tobacco use. That is more than HIV/AIDS, car accidents, homicide, suicide, illegal drugs, and fire combined. And it is preventable. At what cost are we willing to line the pockets of the tobacco industry?
Big tobacco has spent the last 25 years strategically running ad campaigns aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, and we have fallen for it. Now is the time to take action and quit smoking! There are many resources literally at your fingertips.
We have the power to create our own future. No one gets to take this power away from us- not the tobacco industry, not politicians, no one. Quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you could make for your community, your body, and your mental health.
Techniques that have worked for former smokers
- Change your brand of cigarettes with each pack you buy. Do not smoke your regular brand any more. Switch to a brand you find distasteful.
- Be aware of your smoking. Use a "Smoking diary" to figure out what are your smoking triggers.
- Don't allow smoking to be mindless. Smoke on the cigarettes you really want.
- Tell people around you that you're going to quit. (peer pressure!)
- Each day, postpone the lighting of your frist cigarette by one hour. ( the time you can wait to light up a cigarette in the morning can tell you how addicted you are.)
- Smoke one less cigartte a day until the countdown is 0 on quit day.
- Clean all your clothes, house, and teeth
- Look forward to the time you will be quitting and start thinking of yourself as a nonsmoker
We understand that quitting smoking is one of the hardest things you can do. We’re not here to judge. We’re here to help!
Get the Support you need, when you need it!
Call & Text
Love texting with friends? Try getting a daily text message with encouragement, advice, and tips to help you quit smoking.
Text QUIT to 47848
Call the WV Tobacco Quitline to receive one on one support and get signed up for free patches, lozenges, or gum 1-800-Quit-Now.
Apps
QuitSTART is a free app that gives you tips, inspiration, and challenges so you can live as true you, tobacco free. Available at your app store.
These are also available:
- Smoke Free – Quit Smoking Now
- Quit Smoking
- Quit smoking and vaping app
- QuitNow!
- EasyOuit – Stop Smoking
- Quit Genius – quit addiction
Web & Doctor
Your doctor can prescribe medication to help you quit smoking, such as, Wellbutrin or Chantix or their generic.
Websites to help you quit:
For Teens
For teens who vape/smoke:
- Text ditchvape to 88709
- Truthinitiative.org
- This is quitting
Get the Support you need, when you need it!
