Dena’ina Wellness Center Offers Tobacco Cessation Services
To those who use tobacco but would like to quit, Deb Nyquist has a simple message.
“When you’re ready, we’re here,” Nyquist said.
The Dena’ina Wellness Center offers many services to people wishing to eliminate tobacco from their life. Assistance is available to customers who use any form of tobacco as well as those exposed to secondhand smoke or who simply want information about tobacco use and how to quit. Referrals are not required.
One Health Fair display shows how much tar passes through the lungs of a half-pack-a-day cigarette smoker.
Nyquist, DWC Wellness Director, said the benefits far outweigh the challenges of quitting.
“There are a million reasons to quit,” she said.
Tobacco takes on many forms, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, bidis, hookah, chew, iq’mik, snuff, snus, orbs, e-cigarettes, pens, and other developing products.
Nyquist said it takes the average person seven to 11 attempts to permanently quit, meaning there’s value in working with one of the center’s professionally trained tobacco-cessation counselors.
The Wellness Department also offers free tobacco quit kits throughout the year. Another good resource, Nyquist added, is the Alaska Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-784-8669.
In November, the Wellness Department participated in the American Cancer Society’s “Great American Smokeout,” which challenges people to quit smoking and brings awareness toward the dangers of tobacco use. In February, the department participated in “Through with Chew Week,” another promotion aimed at raising awareness and encouraging people to quit.
“We want to serve our whole family of customers,” she said.
WHICH STAGE ARE YOU IN?
- Pre-contemplation – “I like to smoke.”
- Contemplation – “I like to smoke, but I know I need to quit.”
- Preparation – “I’m ready to quit.”
- Action – “I’m not smoking, but I still think about smoking from time to time.”
- Maintenance – “I used to smoke.”
To access tobacco cessation services at DWC, please call 907-335-7500.
