Compassion is key for smokers

2/22/2012

Nurse practitioners at on site clinics can help workers quit smoking, which can be a very difficult task. Often, people who have friends or family members who smoke think that they are being helpful when they nag their loved ones to get them to quit, but this practice may backfire.

According to experts from the Winship Cancer Institute, having the support of friends and family can really help a person quit smoking, but only if those around them stay positive.

"In fact, supportive behaviors have been associated with initial smoking cessation, while negative or critical behaviors have been associated with earlier relapse," said Carla Berg, a member of Winship’s Cancer Prevention and Control program and a professor in the Rollins School of Public Health.

Furthermore, Berg added that smokers are more likely to marry people who also engage in cigarette use and will have the same amount of tobacco each day as their partner. This suggests that couples who smoke may have an easier time quitting when they do it together.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 45 million Americans currently smoke. 

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