Smoking has many negative health effects, both short-term and long-term. Short-term effects include bad breath, yellow teeth, and reduced sense of taste and smell. Long-term effects are more severe and include lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In Syracuse, nearly a quarter (23.3%) of adults are current smokers, which is much higher than compared to 12.6% in Onondaga County. Rates of smoking in Onondaga County has decreased from 18.0% in 2016.
Secondhand smoke, which is the smoke that non-smokers inhale from being around smokers, has been linked to many negative health effects, including lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses in non-smokers.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy: Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help people quit smoking. NRT comes in several forms, including gum, patches, and lozenges, and can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Behavioral Therapy: Behavioral therapy can also help with people learn new coping mechanisms to deal with triggers and cravings that lead to smoking.
Medication Management: there are medication options which can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and make quitting smoking easier.
Support Groups: Support groups can help with the social support you might need to quit smoking successfully.